Crazy Stupid Love
by SapphirexMoonlight
Summary: Cassandra Forbes, older sister to Caroline Forbes, has returned to Mystic Falls shortly after graduating from college. When she catches the eye of a certain original hybrid, much to her family and friends' horror and disdain, she will have decide: heed their advice, or follow her own path and give a cold-hearted killer a chance. Klaus/OC, Starts at the beginning of Season 3
1. Home Sweet Home

**Disclaimer - I don't own any of the characters from the show, the only thing that is my creation is Cassandra.**

 **Thank you for taking the time to check this story out. Klaus will make his first appearance around the fifth chapter. I hope you enjoy it!**

* * *

 **Chapter 1 - Home Sweet Home**

June 2010

"Where do you want this, sweetheart?" Sheriff Elizabeth Forbes stood in her garage holding a box marked _Kitchen_.

"Just put it next to the others," Twenty-two year old Cassandra Forbes instructed her mother as she set down the box she had in her arms. "Thanks again for the help, mom. It would have taken twice as long without you here."

"Anytime, honey. I'm sorry I can't stay longer and help you get settled in," the Sheriff hugged her oldest daughter after setting down the box she'd been holding.

"It's okay, mom. I know they need you back at the station," Cassandra hugged her back.

"We'll do something tonight for dinner," the pair walked out of the garage and made their way to Elizabeth's police cruiser.

"Sounds like a plan," Cassandra nodded. She watched as her mom climbed into the car and drove off. Turning on her heel, Cassandra walked back up the driveway and grabbed the remaining bags from the back of her white Honda Accord before heading inside the house.

"Welcome home, Cass," she murmured out loud as she shut the front door and headed up the stairs to her old room. It felt strange to be back home after being away so long. She hadn't been planning to return to Mystic Falls, but circumstances gave her no choice. Choosing not to dwell on the negatives, she took a quick shower to freshen up after all the driving and unloading she'd done and threw on a pair of comfortable jean shorts and a loose fitting coral tank top. She quickly tied her long blonde hair back into a messy bun, slipped on her favorite pair of brown flat sandals, and grabbed her purse before heading back out the front door.

As bummed as she was about the circumstances that led to her returning home, she couldn't help smiling at the thought of being near her little sister, Caroline, again. She would have felt completely disconnected from the town if it hadn't been for Caroline constantly filling her in on the goings on. Most of it was just teenage drama nonsense, but some of it, like the car accident that led to her baby sister becoming a vampire, was vital. Yes, she was privy to the knowledge of the supernatural presence in Mystic Falls. Being part of a Founding Family, and having a vampire sister, did have its advantages.

She could feel the excitement bubbling in her stomach as she pulled into a parking spot near the Mystic Grill. As she got out of her car, she spotted a pretty, blonde girl sitting at one of the tables outside the restaurant with a dark-haired boy and felt her lips curling into a grin as she carefully crossed the street and made her way over to them. As Cassandra neared the table, she could hear the sound of her sister's voice.

"That's crazy," Caroline laughed, shaking her head slightly.

"Right," the boy sitting across from her nodded in agreement.

"What's crazy?" Cassandra came to a stop in front of the table her sister sat at, a huge grin on her face. She watched as her sister looked up and made eye contact with her, grinning back.

"Cass! Oh my god!" Caroline squealed as she jumped to her feet and pulled her older sister into a tight hug. "When did you get here? How long are you here for? Why wasn't I told you were coming?"

"Woah, slow down, Care," Cassandra laughed. "I got here about an hour ago. Mom helped me unload my car. I asked her not to tell you because I wanted to surprise you, and, as it turns out, I am back in town indefinitely."

"Wait, what?" Caroline rested her hands on her hips. "Why would you be back in town indefinitely? Aren't you supposed to be—oh my god. You didn't get the job. Oh Cass, I'm so sorry. I know how badly you wanted it."

"Yeah. They picked Toby," Cassandra nodded slowly. "It wasn't meant to be. But hey, it was an incredible learning experience. And it's another thing to add to my resume."

"Well, for what it's worth, I'm glad you chose to come home," Caroline hugged her older sister again.

"I am too, little sis," Cassandra smiled. As she pulled away from hugging Caroline, she caught a glimpse of the dark-haired boy who'd also been sitting at the table, only now he was standing with a grin on his face as he waited to be noticed. She felt her jaw drop when she realized who he was.

"Tyler Lockwood, as I live and breathe," she grinned as she stepped over to him and engulfed him in a big hug. "Good lord, when did you turn into a stud. Look at you!"

"It's good to see you too, Cass," he grinned back.

Cassandra looked from him back to Caroline as something struck her. "Wait. Are…are you two…is this a…" she pointed back and forth between the two of them.

"Why does everyone think we're dating?!" Caroline threw her hands in the air. "This is not a date. We're just two friends grabbing a bite to eat."

"Okay, okay. Sorry I asked," Cassandra held her hands up defensively.

"It's fine," Caroline sighed as she sat back down. She reverted back to her peppy nature as a new thought jumped into her mind. "Oh! We're having a birthday party for Elena tonight. You have to come, Cass. She'll be happy to see you too."

Cassandra bit her lip. She'd been hoping to lay low and relax on her first night back in town, but the look on her sister's face made saying no next to impossible. Plus, she had to admit, it would be nice to see Elena.

"Alright, I'll come. But only for a little while," Cassandra gave a small nod.

"Yes! It's at the Salvatore Boarding House. You know where that is, right?" Caroline told her.

"Yes, I know where it is," she nodded. At the mention of the name Salvatore a flash of memories reared their ugly head in her mind. She squashed them back down as she focused on her sister and Tyler. "Well, I've kept you two from eating long enough."

"You're family, it's more than fine," Tyler gave her a reassuring smile.

"Yeah, join us, Cass," Caroline started to look around for an empty chair.

"That's okay. You two enjoy yourselves. I apparently have to go shopping for a birthday present now," Cassandra grinned at them. "I'll see you two later at the party."

After successfully finding a small birthday present for Elena, a charming bracelet with a letter 'E' charm attached, Cassandra made it back home with plenty of time to spare before she had to get ready and leave again. She used the extra time to unpack her suitcases, hanging up certain items in the closet and putting others in dresser drawers. She let out a satisfied sigh when she was done.

"If only I could unpack the rest of this stuff that easily," she muttered softly as she gazed at the boxes around her room. She went over to one marked _Fragile_ and slowly pulled the flaps open. Her fingers glided over a black, rectangular leather folder with silver embossed lettering. She pulled it out of the box and carefully opened it.

"' _Richmond University. In recognition of successful completion of the prescribed course of study, and on the recommendation of the faculty Cassandra Elizabeth Forbes has been admitted to the Degree of Bachelor of Arts in Journalism with all the rights, honors, and privileges appertaining thereunto.',_ " Cassandra read aloud. "For what good it does me now."

She shook her head as she walked over and placed her college degree on the desk in the far corner of her room. She was still frustrated with how things had turned out. She had an internship with one of the prestigious newspapers in Richmond during her final two semesters. She and a few other students had been vying for two coveted positions with the paper, and unfortunately for her, she didn't get either of them. The internship had provided housing, and when it ended, she no longer had a rent-free place to live, leaving her no choice but to return home to Mystic Falls. She had nothing against her home town, she just felt she'd never find the career she longed for within the confines of a small town.

"Chin up, Cass," she told herself as she went to her closet to pick out a dress to wear to Elena's party. "You'll find that dream job. You just have to stay here in Mystic Falls while you look."

Half an hour later, Cassandra was ready to go. She'd chosen a flowy, white and blue cotton dress and wore the same sandals she'd worn earlier in the day. She left her hair down and dabbed on a little mascara. Satisfied with her appearance, she grabbed her purse and the small wrapped gift for Elena and left.

It had been a long time since she'd made this particular drive. It felt like another life time now. As she pulled up to the Salvatore Boarding House, she could already hear the thumping of a bass from inside her car. Once she had parked and was outside, the music was significantly louder. She wondered how long it would be before her mother showed up to end the party. Hopefully after she'd come and gone.

Cassandra spotted two adult figures on the porch among the scattered teens as she approached the front door. She hadn't expected the rush of emotion that flashed through her at the sight of a face she had hoped she wouldn't see that night, but given it was his house, she knew the odds were against her. Still, the unexpected emotion caused her to act without fully thinking it through, and the next thing she knew, she was marching straight up to the two adults.

"Damon Salvatore," Cassandra glared at the dark-haired vampire she now stood in front of.

"Cassandra Forbes," Damon lowered his glass. "When did you get back to t—"

Cassandra cut him off by slapping him across the face.

"Hey! What the hell was that for?" he brought a hand up to his cheek.

"That was for taking advantage of my little sister, making her your personal blood bag last year!" she snapped at him. She knew he probably hadn't felt a thing, but boy did it feel good to finally give him a piece of her mind. As she turned to finally address the older man sitting next to Damon who wore an amused grin on his face at the scene he'd just witnessed, her face softened. "You must be Mr. Saltzman. My sister has talked my ear off about you. Nice to finally meet you."

"Call me Alaric. And all good things I hope," Alaric smiled as he brought his glass up to his lips.

"Oh yeah," Cassandra nodded. "All good things. She holds you in pretty high esteem."

"Wow. I'll have to remember to thank her," he chuckled.

Damon rolled his eyes and was about to comment when Elena suddenly came walking up to them.

"Drink," she extended her arm towards Damon's glass. She hadn't noticed Cassandra.

"Hello Birthday Girl," Damon smiled as he handed her his glass.

Cassandra arched her eyebrows as she watched the underage girl take a long sip of whatever Damon had been drinking. "I'm just going to pretend I didn't see that since it's your birthday," she shook her head slightly.

"Cass! I didn't know you were back!" Elena nearly dropped the glass before quickly handing it back to Damon so she could hug Cassandra.

"Yeah, I got in this afternoon. Caroline told me about the party," Cassandra hugged her and then handed her the gift she'd brought. "Happy Birthday Elena. Good lord, I still can't believe you're eighteen. Where the heck did the time go?"

"Oh. You didn't have to get me anything. Thank you. This means a lot," Elena smiled as she took the small present.

"Hey, eighteen is huge, and you're like another little sister to me, Elena. There was no way I was showing up empty handed. You can wait til later to open it though, if you want." Cassandra didn't want her to feel obligated to open it right then and there.

Elena nodded slowly. "So how are long are you in town?"

"I don't know," Cassandra shrugged. "However long it takes to find a job, which given my field of study, in this small town could take a while."

"There's always the Mystic Grill. Matt and Jeremy work there now," Elena grinned.

"Ha ha, very funny," Cassandra shook her head laughing. "Although, now I have a reason to make sure I stop by there so I can see those two in action. How is your brother doing these days? Not getting into too much trouble I hope."

"He's smoking again," Elena sighed. Cassandra was disappointed to hear that. She had too many fond memories of him as a kid, watching him while her sister and Elena ran around playing together.

"Is his stash any good?" Damon looked at her curiously. Cassandra felt the urge to slap him again, but she refrained this time. She was smart enough to know she wouldn't get away with it twice.

Elena glared at him. "You're an ass." She turned to Alaric. "Talk to him, please. He looks up to you."

She turned and hugged Cassandra again, thanking her for coming before walking away.

"You're screwed," Damon said to Alaric once Elena was out of earshot. Alaric groaned softly. Cassandra couldn't blame him. She wouldn't look forward to that kind of conversation with Jeremy either.

"Well on that note, I'm going to go find my sister so she can see that I came, and then I'm calling it a night and going home," Cassandra said goodbye to Damon and Alaric and headed into the Boarding House to look for Caroline.

She hadn't been prepared for the sea of people and had to quickly hug the nearest wall before she was trampled on by a drunk teenager. Once she was sure it was safe, she ventured deeper into the house in search of her sister. It didn't take her long to spot the blonde who was walking towards the stairs as she took swigs from the bottle she had in her hand.

"Caroline!" Cassandra called out to her sister as she weaved her way through the crowd towards her.

Hearing her name called Caroline snapped her head around looking for the source and smiled brightly when she spotted her older sister approaching her. "You made it!"

"Yeah, I was just talking to Elena outside, actually." Cassandra smiled. "Listen, I just wanted to catch you before taking off. I'm beat after the long drive and unpacking all the stuff from my car, so I'm gonna head home."

"Aw, okay," Caroline gave Cassandra a quick hug. "I'm glad you came by. We'll do lunch or something tomorrow and catch up."

"I am too," Cassandra nodded. "Absolutely. It's a date."

They laughed and hugged once more before going their separate ways. Cassandra carefully made her way back through the crowd as she headed to the front door. She was a few feet away when a voice started speaking behind her.

"Hey Caroline, have you seen—" Cassandra turned around to find a teenage girl who instantly realized the mistake she made. "Ohmygod I totally thought you were Caroline. My bad."

"It's okay," Cassandra laughed. "I was just talking to her. I believe she was heading up stairs."

"Thanks!" the girl skirted away to look for her. Cassandra shook her head with a soft chuckle as she turned back around and finally made her exit from the house. She gave Alaric a nod and smile as she passed him. Damon, she had noticed, was no longer beside him. Shrugging it off, she continued on to her car, sighing in relief once she was back inside where the music was muffled.

Once she was home, Cassandra took a quick shower before climbing into bed. It felt weird being in her old bed in her old room, though she was grateful her mom hadn't done much of anything to her room while she was away. She stared up at the ceiling thinking about the drastic turn her life had taken. She didn't like that her future didn't have a clear picture anymore. She had been so certain that she'd get offered the job, but then she supposed everyone else in the group must have felt the same way. Her heart swelled as she thought about much she was going to miss seeing them every day. She felt a stray tear trickle down her cheek and brushed it away as she rolled onto her side and waited for sleep to overtake her. When it finally did, her dreams were filled with the very people she'd recently said goodbye to.

* * *

Middle Of The Night

Caroline took one last look at Tyler's sleeping form before grabbing her shoes and quietly leaving the bedroom. She tiptoed down the stairs began heading towards the front door when a noise coming from behind her caused her to turn around and gasp as she found the form of the one person she had hoped to avoid.

"Mrs. Lockwood. Hi," she spoke softly.

"Leaving so soon?" Tyler's mother, Carol Lockwood, eyed her as she flipped the lights in the room on.

"I…I didn't mean to be so…I mean, we were just…I'm going to just…get my purse. Okay?" Caroline answered nervously as she turned and went to grab her purse from the table she was standing next to. When she placed her hand on it, her skin began to sizzle and burn. She pulled her hand away hastily and screamed in pain. In that same moment, Carol raised her arm, revealing a gun filled with vervain darts and fired it at Caroline's back. Caroline fell to her knees as the vervain shocked her vampire body. Carol took that moment to reset her dart gun and fired two more darts into Caroline's back. She fell face down on the floor a moment later as the vervain-induced darkness overtook her.


	2. Settling In With A Little Family Drama

**Thank you to everyone who left reviews, even if they were super short. Each one made me smile! Enjoy the next chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 2 - Settling In...With A Little Family Drama**

Cassandra slept until a little past nine the next morning. It took her a few seconds to remember she was in her old room. As she was walking down the hall to the bathroom she noticed Caroline's bedroom door wide open. Her bed hadn't been slept in. _She must have spent the night at Elena's_ , she shrugged it off. When she was done in the bathroom she headed to the kitchen. She located the coffee maker on the counter and got a fresh pot brewing. Yes, she was one of _those_ people. She needed coffee in the morning to wake up. She stifled a yawn as she retrieved her phone from her room and plopped down into a kitchen chair. She noticed a text message from her mom, a simple 'Morning sweetie, hope you slept well in your old bed' type message. She sent a quick reply back and set her phone on the kitchen table. She could smell the freshly brewing coffee as it slowly filled the pot and inhaled deeply. A few minutes later, with a steaming mug of coffee in her hand, she went into the living room and curled up on the couch.

"Mmmm, nectar of the gods," she murmured after taking a big sip. She took another, savoring the warmth of the hot liquid as it rolled down her throat. With a satisfied sigh, she reached for the remote to the TV and turned it on. She began casually flipping through the different channels looking for something to and paused on the local news station as a new special report began.

"Whether suicide, or a tragic accident, WPKW News has lost one of its shining stars. Field reporter and weekend anchor Andie Star was discovered dead early this morning outside the studio," the reporter spoke to the camera.

"Guess mom's gonna have her hands full with that today," Cassandra mumbled. She couldn't help wondering for a brief moment if the reporters death was more dark and sinister than was being reported knowing what she knew about some of the town's occupants. The journalist in her was extremely curious, but she wasn't ready to start poking her nose around town. She decided to wait and see if her mom shared her opinion. _Besides,_ she thought as she drank another sip of her coffee, _It's not like I'd be able to actually share whatever I discover. If they're covering up foul play, they're doing it for a reason, and in this town, there's some pretty good reasons to keep certain things quiet._ Not wanting to dwell on the sad news she continued channel surfing and eventually gave up and turned the TV back off when she couldn't find anything else of interest to watch.

"So much for that," Cassandra mumbled softly as she placed the TV remote back onto the coffee table. Feeling her stomach rumble she rose to her feet and headed back to the kitchen. She settled on a bowl of cereal and sat down at the table with it. While she was eating she opened the web browser on her phone and searched around for more news reports on the dead TV reporter, giving in to her morbid curiosity.

After she ate she changed into a pair of shorts and a tank top. She pulled her long blonde hair back into a ponytail and went to work unpacking the boxes she'd brought into her room. She spent the rest of the morning reorganizing things and deciding what to keep boxed up and what she'd want access to. The only disappointment came shortly after noon when her mom called to tell her she wouldn't be able to make it home for lunch due to an ongoing investigation that was taking up all of her time. It didn't take a genius to figure out the subject of the investigation. She'd almost forgotten what it was like being the daughter of the Sheriff. Being away in college tended to have that kind of effect.

Wondering what her sister was up to, Cassandra dialed her number after ending her phone call with their mom. The call went to voicemail after four rings. "Hey, it's your sister," Cassandra decided to leave a message, "Just wanted to see what you were up to this afternoon. Mom had to cancel our lunch plans because of work. I'd forgotten how time consuming her job can be sometimes. Guess I'll have to get used to that again. Anyway, call me back if you want to do something. I'll just be hanging out at the house all day. Talk to you later."

She ended the call with a sigh and slipped her phone into her pocket. After making herself a quick sandwich and wolfing it down, she decided to wash her car. An hour later she had a pristine looking vehicle.

By the evening she was spent, but it was worth it. She had finished unpacking as much as she possibly could. After scrounging up a bite to eat for dinner and a long, hot shower Cassandra curled up on the couch with a book and read until she fell asleep.

* * *

Meanwhile, In a cellar below the town jailhouse

Caroline woke up and discovered she had been shackled to a metal chair in some kind of dark dungeon. She was facing the door which had bars on the small window

"Hello! Mrs. Lockwood?! Somebody!" Caroline called out as she looked around and tugged on the shackles. She fought the panic that started to build in her chest when she realized she couldn't break them. A moment later she heard footsteps coming towards the door and a shadow appeared in the window. "Who's that? Mrs. Lockwood?! Please!"

When the door slowly opened she stared in shock at the man who stepped inside.

"Hello, Caroline," he spoke calmly as he approached her.

"Daddy?" she breathed softly.

* * *

The Next Morning

Cassandra woke up confused, but the feeling of the book on her lap quickly reminded her of the last thing she'd been doing. Rubbing her eyes she reached for her phone on the coffee table and turned on the screen. 10:12 AM flashed back at her. She'd slept for over twelve hours! She couldn't remember the last time she'd slept that long. She checked for any new messages as she sat up and stretched her neck. She was disappointed that Caroline hadn't gotten back to her.

"I wonder," she mumbled and rose to her feet. She quickly made her way down the hall to Caroline's room and sighed when she saw the door was just as wide open as it had been the day before. To her dismay nothing had changed. Her sister's bed remained untouched.

"Where are you Caroline?" Cassandra wondered aloud. It was unlike her sister to not at least send a text message. The lack of any contact for over twenty four hours now didn't sit well with her, but she was determined not to start worrying. _Caroline can take care of herself. She's a vampire for god sakes. The only threat to her left town,_ she tried to convince herself.

Rather than dwell on it, Cassandra went to her room and got dressed. She ate a quick breakfast and spent the rest of the morning busying herself as much as she could with whatever she could find around the house. She tidied things up in the living room, started a grocery list of things they were running low on, washed dishes, she became a cleaning machine. She had just finished wiping down the kitchen counter when she heard the sound of her mother's voice coming through the front door.

"Caroline! It's mom," Elizabeth spoke into her phone as she picked up the pile of mail on the table near the front door. "Just coming up for air after a few all-nighters at the station. I thought you, your sister, and I could have lunch and you two could remind me I promised not to work so hard. Call me sweetie."

Cassandra stood in the hallway a few feet from her mom. "I left her a message too."

Elizabeth was about to speak when a knock at the front door interrupted her. Cassandra could see through the curtain that Tyler was standing right outside, and he looked worried. "Tyler," Elizabeth greeted him as she opened the door. Cassandra walked over to join them. Elizabeth could tell something was off by the look on his face. "What's wrong?"

"It's Caroline," he answered quickly. "She's in trouble."

"What do you mean she's in trouble?" Elizabeth eyed him sharply.

"Where is she?" Cassandra asked.

"My mom she….after Elena's party we went back to my house. I fell asleep and sometime after that Caroline tried to leave and my mom shot her with vervain darts." Tyler tried to explain as quickly as he could. "She called Bill."

Cassandra hadn't been expecting that. "Dad?" Her stomach suddenly dropped. She knew there was only one reason why Carol would have called him. "Oh my god!"

"Where are they?" Elizabeth suddenly switched into Sheriff mode.

"The old cellar," Tyler answered. "She tried to get him to let Caroline go, but he wouldn't listen."

 _"_ It's okay, Tyler. I'll take care of it," Elizabeth tried to reassure him. She grabbed her purse and started to follow him outside. Cassandra followed behind her. Elizabeth turned around as her oldest daughter started to shut the front door. "Cassandra…"

"She's my sister, mom. You aren't talking me out of coming." Cassandra walked past her towards the police cruiser. She climbed into the passenger seat while Tyler hopped in the back. Elizabeth climbed into the driver's seat a moment later and together they drove off.

"My mom knows about me...and about my Uncle Mason," Tyler spoke after a few long minutes of silence. "I made her watch what happened to me during the full moon last night. She understands now. She feels horrible about this."

"It's okay, Tyler. I'm not mad at her. She did what she thought she had to," Elizabeth kept her eyes on the road as she spoke, guiding the cruiser around cars at a high speed as they headed towards the town square.

Cassandra was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that her father was holding Caroline hostage. She didn't want to think about what he was doing to her sister. She knew how much he hated vampires, but she never dreamed he'd turn on his own flesh and blood. It made her both furious and sick to her stomach at the same time.

When they arrived at the jailhouse, they all jumped out of the car and ran inside. In the back of the building was an open door with spiral staircase leading down to a dungeon of sorts.

"Stay here until I say otherwise," Elizabeth whispered to Tyler and Cassandra.

They both nodded and watched as she made her way down, gun drawn and pointed outward. Cassandra could hear the sound of her mother's voice, but couldn't make out the exact words she was saying. She looked over at Tyler, about to ask if he could understand what was being said, when her mother's voice rang out, calling Tyler down. He disappeared wordlessly through the doorway and down the staircase. A moment later the sound of gunfire made Cassandra jump out of her skin with a gasp. Without thinking she ran through the door to the top of the staircase. She sighed in relief when she realized her mom had only fired a warning shot.

"Go ahead," Elizabeth nodded to Tyler who'd stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Cassandra watched him open the heavy door to the cellar and walk inside. She shifted her gaze onto her father who had just noticed her presence on the above ledge.

"Cassandra," Bill gasped softly, "I didn't know you were in town. When.."

"I _moved_ back home a few days ago," Cassandra snapped at him. "If you bothered to stay in touch, you might have found out sooner, but…you didn't. I can't believe you would do this to Caroline. You disgust me!"

Tyler walked back out carrying Caroline before Bill could say another word. Cassandra kept her eyes on the two of them as Tyler made his way past Elizabeth and back up the stairs. She turned on her heel and followed them out. She hurried ahead of the pair and opened the passenger side door of the cruiser.

"Oh Care," Cassandra sighed as Tyler carefully placed Caroline on the seat. "I was so scared when Tyler told us what was going on. When I found out dad was involved…."

"I know," Caroline's voice was weak.

Cassandra held out her arm to her sister. "You need blood. Take mine."

"No, I can't." Caroline shook her head. "I'm afraid I won't be able to stop. Blood bags are safer."

"Care, come on. I trust you, Plus, I'm sure Tyler will help make sure you don't go too far. You need this to help speed up your healing." Cassandra insisted. "Just drink a little bit."

Reluctantly and because she was starving Caroline finally agreed and brought Cassandra's wrist up to her mouth. Cassandra winced as she felt the pinch of Caroline's fangs sinking into her skin. She drank for a few seconds, not long enough in Cassandra's opinion, but Cassandra knew not to push it. Once Caroline had let go of Cassandra's wrist, Tyler dug the first aid kit out of the trunk and handed Cassandra a piece of gauze to put on the bite marks.

Elizabeth came out of the jailhouse a moment later. The drive home was quiet. Once they pulled into the driveway Cassandra and Elizabeth helped Caroline out of the car and into the house. Elizabeth disappeared into the garage to get a blood bag for Caroline from the separate freezer they kept out there while Cassandra helped her get into her bed. She sat next to Caroline while their mother came in and handed Caroline a blood bag before sitting down at the foot of the bed. They were silent while she drank.

"Thank you," Caroline murmured to her mom as she handed back the blood bag once she'd finished it. She rolled onto her side as her head hit her pillow.

"Honey…your dad…all our families, we have beliefs that have been passed on through generations," Elizabeth explained in a soft voice. "And we were taught never to stray from them."

"You and Cass did," Caroline remained still as she spoke.

"You taught me to look at things a different way," Elizabeth pointed out.

"And I was too stubborn to simply accept those beliefs without questioning them first," Cassandra added. She reached over and gave her sister's arm a friendly squeeze. "Dad tried for a while, but eventually he gave up when he saw I'd never have the same opinion as him on the subject."

"I just thought that he was the one who got me," Caroline mumbled sadly.

"He did," Elizabeth tried to reassure her daughter. "He will again."

Tyler had been hanging outside in the hallway and picked that moment to slowly walk into the bedroom. Cassandra and her mother exchanged a quick look, getting the hint, and both stood to their feet.

As they moved around the bed to leave the room Caroline spoke out. "Hey mom? Cassandra? Thanks for believing in me."

Cassandra and Elizabeth both smiled at her before leaving the room. As Elizabeth went down the hall to the living room, Cassandra leaned back against the wall outside Caroline's room. She chuckled softly at Tyler's comment to Caroline about sneaking out on him. She sighed softly and as she was about to start walking to her own room the sound of Caroline crying stopped her in her tracks.

"He hates me. My dad hates me," she heard Caroline sob.

Cassandra desperately wanted to run back into the room to reassure her that she was wrong, but she knew it wouldn't help Caroline. Not wanting to listen to the sound of her sisters sobs any longer Cassandra quietly walked down the hall to her room and shut the door to her room. She walked over to the window and stared out at the night sky. She felt her eyes welling with tears and quickly brushed them away before they could fall. She hated her father for what he did to Caroline, and if she never saw him again it would be too soon.


	3. Founders Party Disaster

**Chapter 3 - Founders Party Disaster**

A Couple of Days Later

"Ah ah ah, don't you dare!" Cassandra lightly batted Caroline's hand away from the pot bubbling on the stove. "You'll just have to wait until later to taste my version of Grandma's chili."

"Oh fine. Be that way," Caroline pouted as she folded her arms across her chest. A second later she bounced back into her bubbly self. "I'm heading out to pick up Bonnie and head to Elena's. I'll see you later at the Lockwood's. That chili better be worth the wait!"

"Trust me. It will be!" Cassandra called out laughing as Caroline skipped out the front door. She had decided the previous day to make the chili for the Founders Party. Neither her mom nor Caroline would do it, and she wanted the Forbes Family to have some kind of contribution to the potluck.

She hummed softly as she put the final ingredients into the pot and stirred it. She waited a couple of minutes, wanting the spices to have time to meld together, before taking a small taste.

"Mmm! Perfect," Cassandra sighed in satisfaction.

She went and dug the crock-pot out of one of the cupboards and carefully transferred the chili to it. She plugged it in and set the dial to 'warm' to keep the chili from cooling while she went to get ready. Settling on a pale yellow and white sundress, Cassandra quickly changed and styled her hair, giving it loose curls. She kept her makeup simple. She wasn't trying to impress anyone, just making sure the Forbes family name was well represented. When she was done, she grabbed her little clutch purse and the crock pot of chili, and headed out to the Lockwood Mansion.

Once Cassandra arrived, she quickly found the "Chili Table" and set up her crock-pot. She smiled seeing all the other Founding Family names next to other crock-pots. She missed these parties, even if there were ulterior reasons behind them. She turned on her heel, wanting to go mingle a little before filling up a plate with food, and walked straight into a hard chest.

"You know, if you wanted to feel me up, all you had to do was ask," Damon smirked at her.

Cassandra straightened herself out and took a step back from him. "Trust me, if I had wanted _that_ , you'd know and I wouldn't _need_ to ask." She rolled her eyes.

"Touché," Damon laughed. He glanced over her shoulder and saw a card with the words "Forbes Family Chili" resting against it and raised his eyebrows. "You made chili too, huh?"

"Mmm hmm," Cassandra nodded. "I know every family made one. Guess I didn't want the Forbes' to be left out."

"Hey you two," Alaric suddenly appeared next to Damon with a beer bottle in each hand. He handed one to Damon. "Hope I'm not interrupting."

"Hey Alaric," Cassandra smiled, remembering him from Elena's birthday party. "Nope. Not interrupting anything. Actually, he's all yours. I'm off to mingle with people I haven't seen in ages."

Cassandra walked off leaving the two men by the food. She spent the next little while catching up with old friends and classmates, swapping stories from thing they'd been up to the last four years. Eventually she filled up a plate with food and ate until she felt sickly full. It's what one does at a potluck. As she was tossing her plate in a nearby trash can she heard her phone buzzing in her clutch purse. She pulled it out and saw a new text message from Caroline on the screen. _Dad's here!_

She frowned and typed a quick response. _wut do you mean? here at the party? i thought mom said she made sure_ _he left town._

The texts continued for another couple of minutes.

 _Caroline: yes! i saw him inside the house._

 _Cassandra: ok. where r u now?_

 _Caroline: hiding in tyler's room upstairs._

 _Cassandra: stay there. i'll see wut i can find out and let u know when it's safe 2  
leave._

 _Caroline: thx! xoxo_

With a heavy sigh Cassandra slipped her phone back into her purse and headed inside the Lockwood mansion. She wandered around, searching for her father. She finally heard the sound of his voice coming from the first floor office.

"I know you think I'm the bad guy here, Damon, but I would never expose my own daughter to those morons," Bill Forbes spoke adamantly to Damon as Cassandra walked into the room.

"Yeah, because you'd lose your whole family forever if you pulled that crappy stunt," Cassandra stopped after taking a few steps through the doorway. "Why are you still here, dad?"

"Cassandra," Bill turned towards her, "I'm really sorry you had to find out about this the way you did.

"Oh save it," Cassandra snapped. "I don't want your apologies. I'm not the one you should be apologizing to anyway."

"It's a pretty risky move taking me on, don't you think?" Damon eyed him with a devious sparkle in his eyes.

Bill turned his attention back to the dark haired vampire. "I knew what I was risking when I didn't leave town, but I figured…You're not self-destructive enough to kill the sheriff's ex-husband..especially not in front of his daughter."

Cassandra knew the second the words left her father's mouth that Damon would make him pay. The next words he spoke confirmed it.

"Makes you the third person to underestimate me today," Damon said before rushing over to Bill at vampire speed and biting his neck.

Cassandra screamed as Damon brought Bill down to his knees and stopped feeding to catch his breath. "Whoo!" the vampire inhaled in wicked delight. "You know, with all this behavioral modification going on around here, I almost forgot how good blood tastes when it's…fresh."

"Damon stop!" Cassandra pleaded. She may have been furious with her father, but she didn't want him dead.

"What are you going to do? Kill everybody who discovers your secret?" Bill argued as he fought through the pain in his neck.

"No, I'm not going to kill you, Bill." Damon leaned forward, putting his hands on the man's shoulders. "I'm just going to find pleasure in perfect little moments like this."

Cassandra watched in horror a the white of Damon's eyes turned red and veins popped out underneath them right before he bit into her father a second time. Suddenly, out of nowhere, Caroline came vamp-speeding into the room with a yell and threw Damon against the wall behind them. She grabbed him a second time and threw him through one of the big windows, causing it to shatter as he fell through it.

"Daddy! Are you okay?" she ran over to him. Cassandra moved beside both of them.

"I'm fine," Bill nodded, though he looked a lot weaker than he wanted to admit. Caroline was quick to notice and bit into her wrist.

"Here," she held it out to him. "It'll heal you."

"Nah, I said I'm okay," he shook his head.

"Grow up," Cassandra and Caroline both spoke at the same time as Caroline forced her dad to drink from her wrist.

"Let me teach this ass-wheel a life lesson," Damon started to walk towards them.

"Just get out of here," Caroline kept her eyes on her father.

"Damon. Please. Just go. You've done enough," Cassandra pleaded with him again.

"Or what?" Damon taunted Caroline as he stepped closer to her. She pulled her arm away from her dad and turned around, hitting him in the face. He grabbed her, ignoring Cassandra's screams, and threw her on the desk.

"No!" Cassandra yelled as Damon jumped up on the desk and started to strangle Caroline.

"I'm stronger than you, little girl," he glared at her as he tightened his hold around her neck.

Elena came running into the room in that moment, having heard the screaming and yelling. She watched in horror along with Cassandra.

"Well I'm angrier!" Caroline growled right before breaking Damon's arm, relinquishing his grip on her. She head-butted him and threw him against the wall, giving herself enough time to grab Bill and rush out of the room with him at vampire-speed. Cassandra received an apologetic look from Elena before rushing out after them.

When she couldn't spot them anywhere on the Lockwood grounds, Cassandra decided to head home and wait for Caroline there. She gathered the crock-pot and made her way back to where she parked her car. She was surprised to find Caroline waiting next to it.

"There you are. Is dad…" Cassandra started to speak as she popped the truck of her car and set the crock-pot down inside.

"He's fine and safe," Caroline nodded. She put a hand on Cassandra's arm. "Are _you_ okay? I'm so sorry you had to see that."

"Yeah, I'm fine," Cassandra shut the trunk and faced her sister. "I mean…yeah I'm still processing seeing that side of you, but I'm not traumatized or anything. Remind me to never piss you off though."

The two sisters shared a grin. "I will," Caroline chuckled. "I need to go talk to Elena so I'll see you back at the house."

Cassandra nodded and hugged her before she climbed into her car and started the drive back home. She couldn't get the images of Damon attacking her father out of her head. She had never seen Damon act so aggressive before. She couldn't put all of the blame on him though. Her father hadn't helped matters very much. Still, despite what he had done to Caroline, he didn't deserve Damon's attack. On the plus side, she was certain her father would never go after Caroline ever again.

After Caroline and their mom got home the three of them sat down to talk about what had happened at the party. Elizabeth agreed that their dad wouldn't be a problem for them anymore. Caroline went to bed that night with an extra skip in her step. Cassandra was relieved that the family mini drama was finally behind them.

The next morning Cassandra was sitting on the couch job hunting when a knock at the door drew her attention. She set her laptop aside and got up to answer it.

"Dad..hey!" she gasped, surprised to see him standing there.

"Hey sweetheart. I just wanted to stop by and say goodbye. I'm leaving town," Bill said softly.

"Probably for the best," Cassandra agreed.

"I just wanted you to know how sorry I am that you got dragged into all this."

"It's fine, dad. Really. It's not like I didn't know what to expect. You and mom saw to that a long time ago." She thought back to the stories they had told her about what really lurked in Mystic Fall when she was younger.

"I know, I know. A father never stops wanting to protect his children." Bill chuckled softly. "Alright, I need to leave before I wind up dead."

Cassandra nodded and stepped forward into her father's awaiting embrace. "I'm glad you're okay, daddy." She whispered.

"Me too, sweetheart. Me too," he hugged her tightly and kissed the top of her head. "I'm so proud of you. I know I haven't said anything since you graduated, but I wanted you to know."

"Thanks, daddy," she smiled at him. As he released her and turned to leave, a thought flashed through her mind. "I know you hate that Caroline's a vampire now, but you do know she'll keep mom and me safe, right?"

Bill turned back and nodded at her. "Yes, I do know that."

It was the last thing he said before going on his way. Cassandra would miss him, but she knew he had to leave. She watched him until she could no longer see him, then went back inside and resumed her job search.

* * *

 **One more chapter until a certain original hybrid finally joins the fray. I'm super excited to finally get to that point. I can say with confidence that you won't be disappointed and it will have been well worth the wait. Thank you again to those who have left reviews!**


	4. Prank Night, Rippers, and Saviors

**Chapter 4 - Prank Night, Rippers, and Saviors**

End of August

"Hurry up, Ben! They need our help with the cups in the gym," Cassandra heard a Mystic Falls high school student shouting at his buddy as they rushed out of the Mystic Grill. _Ah, Senior Prank Night,_ she chuckled to herself. _Good times._ She sat at a small table across from the bar relishing in the memories she had of that night with her friends when she'd been about to start her final year of high school. She made a mental note to talk to Caroline later and swap prank stories.

 _Okay, enough reminiscing. Focus on these application questions,_ Cassandra brought her eyes back to her laptop screen. She had been working on an application for a minuscule position at the town's newspaper, knowing the most important thing was getting her foot in the door. She had to start somewhere, and her options in a small town were limited. It didn't take her long to find her writing grove again, and before she knew it, her fingers were flying across the keys on the keyboard.

Her groove was interrupted a short while later when a loud group of teenagers entered the grill and made a b-line for the pool tables. With an annoyed huff she powered down her laptop and slipped it back into its carrying case. As she was looping the bag over her shoulder she spotted a familiar face sitting at one of the bar stools. She grabbed her bag and walked over to them.

"Hey Alaric," Cassandra stopped at the stool next to the one he was sitting at and greeted him warmly.

"Oh hey, Cassandra," Alaric turned his head toward her, smiling in surprise.

"Trying not to think about what traps will be waiting for you when you get to your classroom tomorrow?" she chuckled lightly.

"Heh, yeah, something like that," Alaric nodded. "What are you up to this evening?"

"Oh just working on a job application. Had to stop though. Couldn't concentrate," Cassandra tilted her head towards the rowdy bunch by the pool tables.

"Ah, gotcha," he nodded again as he followed her gaze, "Yeah, I don't recognize any of them which means they haven't taken my class."

"I think it's safe to assume they aren't seniors either, otherwise they wouldn't be here right now," Cassandra pointed out.

"Well as long as you're here you're welcome to join me, though I can't promise that I'd be the best company, but it beats sitting alone," he nodded at the empty seat beside him.

Cassandra thought about it for a minute and then took the empty seat. "Sure, why not. It sounds better than going back to an empty house."

She removed her laptop bag from her shoulder and set it and her purse on the seat next to her. She ordered a beer and made herself comfortable as she causally chatted with the history teacher. Eventually she began sharing some of the memories she had of watching Jeremy while Elena and her sister Caroline played when they were little.

"Oh tell me there are pictures of this somewhere!" Alaric laughed after Cassandra had finished telling him about an instance where Elena and Caroline had tied Jeremy to a chair and put makeup all over his face.

"We probably have a few boxed in the garage," Cassandra laughed. "He's going to want to kill me if he finds out I told you about that."

"Oh he's going to hear about it. I can't not give him a hard time for something like that," Alaric grinned.

Cassandra swallowed the last of the beer in her glass. "I'm sure I'll get an earful then."

"I'll try to warn you if I can. It's the least I can do."

"I appreciate that."

The bartender noticed her empty glass and walked over to see if Cassandra wanted a refill. She shook her head no and dug out her wallet to pay for the one drink. As he walked back over to the register to get her receipt she stole a glance at the clock on her phone.

"Woah! I didn't realize how long we'd been talking," her eyes widened slightly. She hadn't meant to stay at the Mystic Grill so late. After the bartender handed her the receipt for her drink she gathered her things. "It was good to see you again, Alaric."

"You too. Good luck with that job application," Alaric smiled.

"Thanks," Cassandra smiled back before turning on her heel and walking to the exit doors.

She quickly walked around the side of the Grill where the parking lot was and headed to her car. As she was walking across the pavement she started to feel uneasy, like she was being watched. She quickened her pace and let out a relieved breath when she reached her car. She dug her keys out of her purse and unlocked driver's side door. Once she had the door open she hastily pulled her laptop bag over her shoulder and placed it on the passenger seat. In her rush to climb into her car, her keys slipped out of her hand and dropped to the ground. She groaned softly as she crouched down to pick them up. When she stood back up, she nearly jumped out of her skin as she came face to face with Stefan Salvatore who had suddenly appeared right in front of her.

"Stefan! Oh my god!" Cassandra jumped in surprise and then exhaled harshly. "You scared me."

"You know, you really shouldn't be out here alone. It's not safe," he answered simply as he tiled his head to the side slightly.

Cassandra had met Stefan over the previous Christmas holiday, though she felt like she'd known him longer due to Caroline always singing his praises and gushing about how epic a couple he and Elena were. As she stared at his face that night, something about him seemed different. Darker. His eyes didn't hold the same warmth they had when she saw him at Christmas. Every instinct inside of her told her to run. He seemed to sense it too, and before she could make any sort of move he leaned in towards her, staring her straight in the eyes.

"Don't move, and don't speak," Stefan's pupils dilated as he compelled her.

All of a sudden Cassandra couldn't move or say anything, no matter how hard she tried, and she didn't know why. All she could do was watch in horror as Stefan's face changed and he grabbed her by the shoulders before biting her neck. The pain she felt when his fangs punctured her skin was excruciating. Before long she started to feel dizzy and light headed. He was going to kill her! Another moment passed and her legs suddenly buckled. Stefan tightened his hold on her to keep her standing while he continued to feed. She felt darkness starting to close in around her when a voice yelled out, and suddenly Cassandra felt her body being dropped onto the ground.

She was vaguely aware of the new voice talking softly to her as a pair of fingers gently touched the side of her neck that remained unscathed. She felt her body carefully being lifted off the ground and after some gentle movement she was set back down on something soft. She could hear the voice of someone speaking to her again, but she couldn't tell what they were saying. She tried to open her eyes, but her body wouldn't listen. The darkness surrounding her was getting harder to fight. She started to feel cold. She couldn't hold on, she was so tired. The darkness was surrounding her so much now that she didn't feel the sensation of being moved again, nor did she notice when a wrist was pressed against her mouth.

Seconds after the coppery liquid started to trickle down her throat the darkness that engulfed her began to recede. Instinct took over as her mouth began to suck in more of the liquid. She felt her strength returning and was finally able to open her eyes. She blinked as the faces of Damon and Alaric stared down at her.

"There she is," Damon removed his wrist from Cassandra's mouth.

"Oh thank god!" Alaric sighed in relief.

He and Damon helped Cassandra slowly sit up. She slowly brought a hand up to her mouth and wiped away the remains of Damon's blood.

"Why would Stefan do this?" Alaric asked Damon.

"Because my idiot brother was compelled by Klaus to turn off his humanity. He's back to being a full blown Ripper again," Damon groaned as he thought about the implications of this latest development.

"I think he compelled me," Cassandra spoke softly. She felt her strength finally returning. "I couldn't move or speak, no matter how hard I tried."

"Sounds like it," Both Damon and Alaric agreed.

Feeling almost normal again Cassandra carefully stood to her feet. She turned to face Damon. "I suppose I should thank you for healing me, so, thank you."

"You're welcome," he nodded. "Just don't go getting killed in the next twenty four hours, unless you want to become a vampire, and you'll be good to go."

"I will definitely be laying low as I prefer to stay human," she nodded slowly. As she stared at Damon she was hit with an annoying realization. "Damn, now I can't hate you as much as I used to. Ugh!"

Damon smirked at this. "Works for me. Now I'd love to hang around and continue this little chat, but I need to go and get Elena."

"Come on, let's get you home," Alaric guided her to his SUV. Before he drove off he handed her a napkin to clean her neck up with.

She took a deep breath before pulling down the passenger visor and stared at her reflection in the small mirror. Though the bite marks were gone, there was still a significant amount of blood on her skin, some of which had trickled down her neck. She spent the next couple of minutes vigorously wiping off all the blood. When Alaric saw she was finished he handed her a small brown bag to deposit the used napkin in.

"Thanks," she murmured as she dropped it in there.

"No problem," he told her as he put the bag on the floor in the bag seat. "So I thought we'd swing by your car so you can get whatever you need from it and then I'll drop you off at home. I figured you and Caroline could pick up your car tomorrow."

"That sounds…perfect," Cassandra sighed, relieved. She didn't really want to leave her car in the Grill's parking lot, but she also didn't feel like driving anymore that night, so she easily agreed to his plan.

It took only a minute to grab her things out of the passenger seat of Cassandra's car and lock it back up before driving the rest of the way to her house.

"Hey," Alaric started speaking again a moment later to break the silence in the car. "If you ever feel like learning some Vampire Self Defense, I've started teaching Elena some moves, and I'd be more than happy to teach you too. Just let me know."

"Given what happened to me tonight, I may just take you up on that offer," Cassandra gave him a small smile.

"You know where to find me if you decide to," he smiled back.

When they pulled up to her house she saw Caroline and Tyler embracing out on the front porch. _They look so happy,_ she couldn't help smiling at the sight, though the smile only lingered for a moment. _And I'm about to squash the whole mood._

The second she and Alaric climbed out of the car, Caroline stared at them with a puzzled expression on her face.

"Wait….why were you riding with Ric?" Caroline raised her eyebrows as Cassandra and Alaric walked up to her and Tyler. "Where's your car? What is going on?!"

"My car's parked at the Grill. It's fine. We'll pick it up tomorrow. As for why…" Cassandra trailed off as she eyed Alaric momentarily before looking at her sister again. "Let's go inside and I'll tell you all about it."

"O..kay," Caroline replied slowly.

Cassandra shuffled her laptop case and purse into one hand and walked up to Alaric. "I can't…I'll never be able to thank you enough for saving my life tonight," she hugged him.

"I'm just glad I decided to leave the Grill when I did," he hugged her back briefly. They said goodbye and went their separate ways.

As Cassandra walked up to the front door where Caroline and Tyler were waiting, she noticed her sister now wore a huge scowl on her face and had her hands firmly on her hips.

"Okay what the hell is going on? Ric saved your life?!" she shouted.

"Of course you were listening," Cassandra shook her head with a sigh as she walked past them and opened the front door. "Come sit down and I'll tell you what happened."

Cassandra didn't wait for a response and walked inside. She headed straight for the living room and plopped onto one side of the couch as she set her things down on the coffee table. Caroline and Tyler joined her a second later, with Caroline all but whooshing to the spot on the couch beside Cassandra.

Cassandra took a deep breath before delivering what she knew would be startling news. "Stefan attacked me tonight outside the grill." She slowly turned to look at her sister.

"He what? Oh my god…" Caroline's eyes widened in shock.

"I was about to get into my car and suddenly he was there," Cassandra continued. "He compelled me to stay still and silent and he bit me. I would have died if Alaric hadn't shown up when he did."

"But why would Stefan do that in the first place?" Tyler asked, confused.

"Damon said Klaus compelled him to turn off his humanity," Cassandra told him.

"Damon said..when did you talk to Damon of all people?" Caroline stared.

"Alaric brought me to him. He healed me," Cassandra sighed. "So now I'll be spending the next twenty four hours on house arrest until his blood is out of my system."

"This is just…" Caroline shook her head as she failed to find the right words to say. A moment later she pulled Cassandra into a hug. "I'm so so so so glad you're okay now."

"Me too," Cassandra hugged her tightly.

"Me three," Tyler joined in. Cassandra let go of her sister reached for Tyler's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"Now that I'm a hybrid, I'll be able to help keep you safe," he gave Cassandra a reassuring smile.

"You're a what now?" Cassandra stared at him in surprise as she let go of his hand and leaned back into the couch. "You're a hybrid? Like Klaus?"

"The first successful sire," he grinned proudly.

"Wow….that's…uh…." Cassandra wasn't sure what to say.

"It's a good thing," Caroline told her. "He has complete control over his transformations now, which means he doesn't have to turn at all anymore."

"Oh. Yeah, that is definitely a plus,," Cassandra nodded, remembering what Caroline told her of the full moon transformation and how painful an experience it was. "So now we have a hybrid on our side."

"Yep," Tyler nodded as he leaned back into the couch.

"Oh! I just thought of something!" Caroline suddenly jumped to her feet. "Wait here."

"Okay," Cassandra watched her vamp-speed out of the room only to return a couple of seconds later with something dangling from her hand.

"Here," Caroline sat back down next to Cassandra and handed her what she was holding – a necklace. "Stefan and Elena made it for me last year. It's got vervain inside. As long as you wear it you can't be compelled."

Cassandra carefully took the piece of jewelry from her and clasped it around her own neck. "Thank you," she exhaled, relieved.

"I should have given it to you the second you moved back home."

"It's okay, at least I have it now," Cassandra ran her fingers over the heart pendant now resting against her chest.

"And you're _never_ taking it off," Caroline told her.

"Exactly," Cassandra nodded.

"Well," Tyler rose to his feet, "I think it's time I headed home."

Both girls stood up to say goodnight. Cassandra walked up to him first and wrapped her arms around his neck as she hugged him. "Thanks for staying," she whispered. "It helped more than you know."

"Hey you mean just as much to me as Caroline does, so whenever you need me, I'm there," he murmured as he hugged her back. Neither of them could see Caroline beaming at the statement. He slowly released her and turned to take Caroline's hand.

As they headed to the front door, Cassandra slipped upstairs and decided to take a hot shower before going to bed. As she was undressing in the bathroom, her hand paused over her necklace. She wasn't sure if she should take it off while she was showering or leave it on. _Nah,_ she shook her head. _I'm not taking any chances. It's staying right where it is._ She let out a sigh as the hot water hit her skin. She got out a little while later feeling refreshed and relaxed.

She quickly dressed for bed and brushed her hair and teeth before finally leaving the bathroom. On her way to her room, Cassandra stopped and poked her head into her sister's room. Caroline was standing in front of her closet, getting her outfit ready for the first day of final year of high school the following day. "Just wanted to say goodnight," Cassandra leaned against the door frame. "And I hope you have a great first day tomorrow. Still can't believe my baby sister's going to officially be a big, bad, senior."

"Oh stop!" Caroline shook her head, laughing. "Goodnight sis. I love you!"

"Love you too, Care," Cassandra gave her one last smile before turning around to head to her room.

Once she was in her room, Cassandra made sure her phone was plugged in and charging before shutting the door and turning off the light. She quickly crawled under the covers and rolled onto her side. She slowly closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. Slowly but surely her body started to relax. She was just starting to nod off when the sound of Stefan's voice hissing her name and image of his face in her mind jolted her awake with a yelp. She placed a hand on her chest as her heart pounded. A moment later her door flew open and her light turned on as Caroline vamp-sped into her room having heard her cry out.

"Are you okay?" Caroline whispered as she walked over and sat down at the foot of the full-sized bed.

"I…I thought I heard his voice….saw his face," Cassandra's voice shook as took a slow, deep breath. "It was a dream."

"Oh Cass," Caroline scooted closer to her sister and hugged her tightly. Cassandra leaned into her comforting embrace. She felt tears stinging her eyes, but she didn't want to start crying. "He won't hurt you again. I promise. Damon, Ric, Elena, Tyler, and I won't let him."

"I know," Cassandra answered weakly. She knew she didn't sound convincing, but hoped her sister wouldn't make a big deal out of it.

"You know what?" Caroline let go of her. "We're having a sleepover tonight. Scooch over."

Cassandra happily made room for Caroline to crawl under the covers on the other half of the bed. "You know, I don't think we've done this since you were in grade school."

"Because you were suddenly too old for them," Caroline poked her in the side.

Cassandra swatted her hand away with a laugh. "Well I don't think we're too old now."

"Nope," Caroline giggled. "Don't be afraid go back to sleep now, okay? I'll keep you safe, I promise."

"I know you well," Cassandra let her head sink back into her pillow. "Thanks again, Care."

"Anytime, sis," Caroline murmured. It wasn't long before sleep overtook both girls and this time, Cassandra slept dreamlessly.

* * *

 **All right my lovely readers. The next chapter is the one you have all been anxiously waiting for...Klaus's first appearance in the story! I'm aiming to post it on Friday. I thought as a little treat I'd post a little teaser snippet, just to get you all even more excited for what's to come. Enjoy and thank you again for taking the time to read and review. I love you all!**

 _Chapter 5 Teaser_

 _"I wasn't aware Caroline had a sister," his lips widened into a giant grin._

 _"Huh. Well, that's me. Cassandra Forbes. Older sister to Caroline Forbes. Little sis put me on dress duty," she wiggled her arm holding the garment bag._

 _"Well it is lovely to meet you, Cassandra Forbes," the stranger reached for her free hand and brought it up to his lips to gently kiss it. "My name is Klaus."_


	5. First Impressions

**It's here! The chapter you've all been anxiously waiting for: Klaus's big first appearance! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. It was my favorite chapter to write so far. (Also the longest.)**

* * *

 **Chapter 5 - First Impressions**

One Month Later

A lot had happened since that night Cassandra nearly died. A spell had gone awry allowing ghosts the ability to roam free and be seen by people. She didn't personally have any encounters that night, but she heard all about the craziness from Caroline. They were both thankful Bonnie had been able to reverse the effects before the band of crazy ghost vampires targeted their mother.

Then there was the drama with Tyler's sire bond to Klaus. Cassandra was extremely careful not to breech the topic in front of her sister lest she wanted an earful on the matter. According to Caroline, Tyler was still in denial over the sire bond being real.

The biggest development had been the cave with the drawings that told the story of Klaus and his entire family. Cassandra was dying to see pictures, but so far she hadn't had any luck making it happen. All she knew about it were the details relayed to her by Caroline.

Vampire defense training with Alaric and Elena was going well, though Cassandra still had a long way to go before feeling confident about using the skill set. The biggest impact it had was helping her get over the near-death experience she'd had the night before school began at Mystic Falls. Elena had been quick to notice the vervain necklace Cassandra had been wearing when they had their first training session with Alaric and was glad Caroline had given it to her.

Now that school had been in session for a month, Cassandra couldn't go anywhere without hearing someone talk about Homecoming. It was the worst at home with her sister being the head of the dance committee. The past couple of weeks she'd had to endure her sister's constant phone conversations with different people on planning for the big dance. She had never been more grateful to not help her sister with something.

Though, as luck would have it, the day of the big dance Caroline did recruit her to help with something because she was busy decorating and didn't trust anyone else with this particular task. It's why Cassandra found herself outside a dress shop in town with a freshly pressed dress inside a plastic garment bag draped over her left arm. She had her cell phone pressed against her ear, hoping to speak directly to her sister, but had to make do with leaving a voicemail instead.

"Hey Care, it's your sister. I just picked up your dress. It'll be waiting for you in your room. Let me know if you need anything else. Talk to you later!" Cassandra pulled the phone away from her ear and tapped the 'end call' button.

"Caroline," a smooth, accented voice suddenly spoke from behind her as she was slipping her phone into her purse. Cassandra slowly turned around to see who the voice belonged and found herself facing a man who looked around her age, give or take a year, with short, slightly curly, dark blonde hair and blue-green eyes. She could tell he'd realized she wasn't who he was expecting. "My apologies, love. I mistook you for someone else."

"It's okay," she smiled warmly. "You aren't the first person to mistake me for my sister, and I'm certain you won't be the last."

"I wasn't aware Caroline had a sister," his lips widened into a giant grin.

"Huh. Well, that's me. Cassandra Forbes. Older sister to Caroline Forbes. Little sis put me on dress duty," she wiggled her arm holding the garment bag.

"Well, it is lovely to meet you, Cassandra Forbes," the stranger reached for her free hand and brought it up to his lips to gently kiss it. "My name is Klaus."

Cassandra's eyes widened as soon as the name left his lips. "You're him?" she gasped as he let go of her hand. "You're the big bad hybrid that's been tormenting my sister and her friends?" _Holy moly Caroline never told me he was this attractive. Or that he spoke with such a dazzling accent. Ugh, okay, focus Cassandra. Remember who you're dealing with. He's a killer._

"So you've heard of me," Klaus smirked.

"Pretty much, yeah," Cassandra slowly moved her head up and down. "I have to admit, I was expecting you to look more…I don't know…hideous, creepy, monster-like…but.."

"Sorry to disappoint you, love," he chuckled.

"Oh you didn't," Cassandra blurted out without thinking. As soon as the words left her mouth she felt her cheeks grow warm. She couldn't believe she'd just said that.

"Is that so?" Klaus raised his eyebrows slightly, "Well, I'm pleased to hear that."

Cassandra shook her head, laughing softly. "Of course you are."

"So what will you be doing tonight while your sister is at the homecoming dance?" he asked her casually.

Cassandra was about to answer when her phone started ringing from inside her purse. She reached inside and pulled it out just far enough to see who the caller was. When she saw it was Caroline calling her back she decided to send the call to voicemail. Once she had silenced her phone and slipped it back into her purse, she looked up to find Klaus staring back at her curiously.

"You aren't going to answer it?" he eyed her curiously.

"Nah, it was just my sister, probably returning my call. I'll call her back later," Cassandra shook her head slightly. She didn't want to be rude by answering her phone when they were in the middle of a conversation.

"Well alright then," Klaus chuckled softly.

"To answer your question….I don't have any plans for tonight while the dance is going on. I guess I figured I'd curl up on the couch and watch a movie." She shrugged.

Klaus's lips curled into another big grin. "I'm throwing a party tonight. Well, actually it's more of a celebration. You should come."

"A party?" Cassandra raised her eyebrows.

"It'll be a big affair over at the Lockwood Residence." Klaus told her.

"Oh!" Cassandra blinked in surprise. "How'd you talk Mayor Lockwood into that?"

He stared at her with a smirk, waiting for her to figure it out.

"Ooooh. Right. Of course. Compulsion." Cassandra mentally kicked herself for that question.

"Say you'll come," Klaus tried again. "You don't have anything else to do. I promise you'll enjoy yourself."

Cassandra knew there was no way she could say no now, not when he knew she didn't have any plans for the night. _What the hell,_ she thought. _I've got nothing else to do._ Her lips slowly curled into a smile. "Okay, sure. I'll come."

"Excellent," Klaus grinned, pleased. "I'll look forward to seeing you there."

Cassandra smiled and nodded slowly. "Well, I should probably be going. I need to call Caroline back before she decides to send a search party out. And I'm not kidding…she totally would."

"Oh I don't doubt it," Klaus laughed. "I need to be going as well. Arrangements for tonight need to be made. It was very nice meeting you, Cassandra."

She felt her cheeks heat up again as he took her hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing the top of it. "It was nice meeting you too, Klaus."

He released her hand and, with a final smile, turned and walked off down the street. Cassandra watched him for a brief moment before forcing herself to turn around and head to her car. As she hung the garment bag on one of the hooks in the back seat of her car and climbed into the driver's seat, her mind raced replaying what had just occurred. _What the hell have you gotten yourself into Cassandra?!_

 _-o-_

"So what are you gonna do tonight?" Caroline stood in front of the bathroom mirror dabbing mascara onto her eyelashes while Cassandra was waiting for the curling iron to heat up.

"Well," Cassandra clicked her tongue. "I was invited to a party."

"Oh good. I'm glad you'll have something fun to do," Caroline finished applying her mascara and screwed the cap back onto the tube.

"Yeah, so don't wait up if you beat me home," Cassandra joked. Caroline stuck her tongue out at her sister.

"Oh wow, I'm gonna be late meeting Tyler," Caroline glanced down at the clock on her phone which had been on the bathroom counter. "Gotta run!"

Cassandra waited until she heard the front door click shut to sigh in relief. She was glad Caroline had been to distracted to ask about who the invitation had come from. She knew if her sister found out it was from Klaus, she'd completely flip out. She decided what Caroline didn't know wouldn't hurt her, at least for that night.

She fiddled with the tie on her robe while she waited another minute for the curling iron to be the temperature she wanted it. She had decided to keep her hair down and give it a loose curl. As she styled her hair she found herself recalling her earlier meeting with Klaus. It still blew her mind how different he was then what she had been imagining.

"Why do the bad ones have to be so gorgeous?" she grumbled to herself. Then again, if she hadn't already known about the things he had done she never would have guessed he was a ruthless monster from their interaction earlier in the afternoon. "But I do know, and I can't pretend not to."

Cassandra let out a frustrated sigh and then pushed all of the negative thoughts out of her mind. Tonight she simply wanted to enjoy herself, killer hybrids and angry sisters be damned. She'd cross those bridges when she came to them.

Once she was satisfied with her hair she unplugged the curling iron and went into her room to figure out what to wear. She started pulling out different dresses from her closet, but none of them felt right. She didn't want to appear too dressy or too casual. What she wanted was a nice medium, something in the middle of both. After an agonizing few long minutes she finally made up her mind and went with a black, scalloped lace on top of nude colored lining dress with a v-neckline and wide cap sleeves that covered the edges of her shoulders. When she put it on it fell just a couple of inches above her knees. She decided to go with comfortable black flats since she figured she'd be doing a lot of standing. She already had the necklace on, and ended up deciding on a pair of simple black and silver dangle earrings to go with it. Her finishing touch was dabbing on her favorite perfume. Now that she was completely dressed she went back into the bathroom and applied her makeup, taking her time because she wanted it to look good.

With one last look in the mirror to make doubly sure she was satisfied with her appearance she grabbed the little black purse she'd decided to bring and her car keys. As Cassandra drove to the Lockwood's house she felt butterflies in her stomach from the anticipation of seeing Klaus again. She knew it was dangerous and reckless. Maybe that was why the thought was so appealing. Plus, he'd made a damn good first impression on her. "Let's see if the second impression is as good as the first," she murmured

When Cassandra pulled up to the Lockwood Mansion she could hear the sound of a loud rock band playing before she even got out of her car. The sound grew as she opened the door and climbed out. "Woah," she gasped softly. "A live band? That's a first." She casually walked up the long driveway towards the front french doors, acknowledging the presence of a beefy guy acting as the doorman. She had enough common sense to figure he was either a vampire or a hybrid, and for a second she was nervous, but when he gave her a slight nod as she approached the open doors, she smiled back before walking inside, exhaling softly as she crossed the threshold.

Her eyes widened at the sight of all the people around. She was surprised to see high school age kids mixed in with the people closer to her age. They were supposed to be at the homecoming dance. Shrugging the thought out of her mind for the time being she made her way through the crowd, looking for any sign of Klaus. She had just stepped outside when she felt the lightest brush of air whip past her face followed by a familiar smooth voice speaking behind her.

"Hello, love. I'm glad you could make it," Klaus smiled.

Cassandra slowly turned around to greet him, swallowing hard as she took in the sight of him all dressed up in a suit and tie. "Hey. I am too."

He reached for her hand, which she let him take, and brought it to his lips, kissing the back of it for the third time that day. "You look positively dazzling."

"Thank you," Cassandra felt her cheeks grow slightly warm as he complemented her. "You look pretty handsome yourself."

"Thank you, love," he beamed at her. Then he held out his arm for her to take. "Come. Let's get you a drink."

Cassandra nodded and slowly looped her arm with his. "This is quite the party," she commented as they made their way through the throngs of people to where the refreshments were. She let go of his arm when he went to one of the bins to pull out two bottles of beer. She watched in awe as he effortlessly popped off the caps without needing a bottle opener.

"Showoff," she laughed as he handed her one of the bottles.

"Me? Never," Klaus feigned innocence. Cassandra rolled her eyes as she brought the bottle up to her lips to take a sip. Klaus took a drink of his and motioned for them to start walking again. They had only taken a few steps when a man dressed in black approached Klaus and whispered something in his ear. Klaus waited until the man had walked way before turning back to Cassandra. "You'll have to excuse me for a moment, love. I'm needed on stage to give a quick welcome speech. I will be right back."

She nodded and watched as he walked off towards the massive stage. She took another sip of her beer as she watched the band on stage. They ended their current song a few seconds later. As Klaus stepped on stage the crowd erupted in cheers. Cassandra took another drink as he addressed the audience.

"Good evening everyone! I wanna thank you for being here with me to celebrate! It's been a long time coming!" He grinned widely and walked off the stage a moment later.

Cassandra wondered what he was referring to. She recalled how he had called the party a celebration earlier in the afternoon, but she hadn't thought about what the actual occasion was until that moment. She decided she'd ask him when she saw him again…if she could find him in the sea of people. She started walking around, stretching her neck to see above the crowd as much as she could, but she couldn't see him anywhere near the stage anymore.

She took another swig from her bottle of beer and started to make her way back towards the house. She was a few yards away when she froze. She had spotted Caroline standing with a small group of people around one of the beer kegs. Not wanting to be seen by her sister she turned around to slip back into the crowd of people watching the band. She'd barely taken two steps when she heard her name being called.

"Cass!" Caroline had appeared behind Cassandra. "What are you—wait. _This_ is the party you were invited to?"

"Uh…yep." Cassandra nodded slowly.

"And who invited you?" Caroline placed her hands on her hips.

"Oh just this guy I met this afternoon when I was picking up your dress," Cassandra answered vaguely. "It's a funny story. He thought I was you at first."

"But who would…oh my god. No. Please tell me this guy that invited you isn't Klaus," Caroline's eye widened in horror.

"I can't." Cassandra looked down at the ground.

"Cass!"

"What!"

Caroline placed her hands on Cassandra's shoulders. "Do you realize how much danger you put yourself in? I can't believe you're even giving him the time of day after everything he's done!"

"He's been a complete gentleman so far Caroline," Cassandra shrugged her sister's hands off her shoulders. "Lighten up okay? Geeze. It's just a party."

Caroline threw her hands up in the air in frustration. "Fine. You want to enjoy the party, then that's what we'll do. _Together._ I am not letting you out of my sight."

"Wonderful," Cassandra muttered before taking a big gulp of her beer.

Meanwhile…

While the two sisters were talking Klaus had been making his way through the crowd once he'd left the stage when he bumped into Tyler.

"My mom would seriously freak if she saw all these people here," Tyler looked around the insane population in his backyard.

"Your mother won't be a problem. I compelled her to go to church and pray for your friends," Klaus told him, a smile tugging at his lips.

"What are you talking about?" Tyler laughed, not completely believing the original hybrid.

Klaus turned to face Tyler. "I want you to look around. There is Bonnie," he pointed at a spot across the lawn. "There is Elena and Matt, and there is your pretty little girlfriend Caroline and her lovely sister Cassandra."

"Wait, what? Cassandra's here?!" Tyler looked around until he had spotted her with Caroline. "What is she doing here? She's not supposed to be at the party!"

Klaus put a hand on Tyler's shoulder. "She's here because I invited her." He waited a beat to see if Tyler would respond, and when he didn't, Klaus continued. "Now then, where was I…ah yes, epic dance was wrecked tonight and who came through with the party? You did. What a pal. But…who are all these other people here?"

"I have no idea," Tyler shrugged as he looked around. "I've never seen half these people in my life."

"That's because I've invited a few dozen friends of my own," Klaus smiled mischievously as he started pointing out his special guests. "That's my friend Mindy…picked her up along the way in Kansas. Did you know that there's an entire bloodline of werewolves in the heartland? And that's Tony from North Dakota and let's not forget the Seattle contingent."

"Are those people all hybrids?"

Klaus raised his eyebrows and smirked. "Well, they also love a good party. And they, like you, were sired by me. They wish to serve their master. So if anyone should so much as make a move against me," Klaus then started speaking in a softer, more menacing voice. "They may feel obligated to retaliate. You're free to warn your friends."

Tyler nodded wordlessly before taking off to speak to Caroline and Cassandra. He had both of them follow him upstairs to his room where they could talk more privately.

"What are you up to with Klaus?" he asked Caroline after he shut the bedroom door.

"Uh, nothing," Caroline answered softly. Then she pointed at her sister. "She's the one who was invited by him to this party."

"And I'm not happy about that either, but that's not what I want to know," Tyler shook his head slightly. "He is on to you, Caroline. Whatever you all think you're about to pull off, he's two steps ahead of you."

"Okay, I don't know what you're talking about," Caroline stared at him confused.

"Neither do I," Cassandra chimed in. "I was just here to enjoy a party."

"You're lying to me," Tyler said to Caroline.

"You know, actually, I'm not," Caroline started at him, appalled he would say such a thing. "I don't know anything. But, even if I did, I wouldn't tell you about it because you are sired to team Klaus now. And you can't be trusted. So…can we please just go back to the party now?"

When Tyler didn't answer Caroline motioned for Cassandra to follow her out of the room. Cassandra had barely taken a step when Tyler had an arm around Caroline and shoved a syringe full of vervain into her neck.

"Oh my god!" Cassandra clapped a hand to her mouth. "Tyler what are you doing?"

"It's okay," he murmured as he slowly laid a now unconscious Caroline down onto the floor. "She'll be okay. Wait here, I'm going to get Matt and then I'll explain."

Cassandra sighed as he left the room and made herself comfortable on the bed. She was staring down at her sister when Tyler came back with Matt in tow a couple of minutes later. When Matt spotted Caroline on the floor he ran to her and placed a couple of fingers onto her neck, checking her pulse.

"What'd you to do her?" he stood and glared at Tyler.

"It's just vervain. She'll be fine," Tyler tried to reassure him. "But I need you, both of you, to get her out of here as fast as possible."

"Why?" Cassandra stood to her feet.

"What's going on?" Matt asked.

"Something's going down against Klaus and this house is full of hybrids like me that can't let anything happen to him."

"What do you mean _can't_?" Matt was confused.

 _Oh no._ Cassandra knew what Tyler was getting at. "It's the sire bond, isn't it?"

"I can't explain it. I can't fight against it. I just know that I need to protect him no matter who gets in my way," Tyler did his best to explain it.

"By attacking Caroline?" Matt hissed.

"I'm protecting her, Matt!" Tyler yelled back. It made Cassandra flinch, but then she realized what he was really trying to do, and where his heart really was.

"It's okay, Matt," Cassandra moved so she was standing next to him. "I get it now. He was never going to convince Caroline to leave on her own accord, not unless he could somehow stop time for a little while. You know as well as I do how stubborn she can be, especially regarding parties."

"Please," Tyler pleaded with his eyes, "Just get her out of here safely. Get everyone out."

"I can't leave," Cassandra whispered, stopping Tyler in his tracks.

He turned back to face her. "What do you mean you can't leave? Sure you can."

"No," Cassandra shook her head. "I can't. Klaus invited me to this party. If I suddenly vanish without saying goodbye to him, he'll know something's up. He'll know you made me leave because you don't want me getting hurt because something's going to go down. I have to go back out there and act like everything's hunky dory."

Tyler growled, clearly not liking any of it, but he quickly realized she was right. "Fine. Make no mistake, I don't like this at all, but I do see your point. Go. Matt will get Caroline out of here, right?"

Cassandra looked over at Matt, who nodded, then she left the room. She quickly made her way down stairs and was heading towards the back door to go outside when Klaus walked in, a warm smile on his face.

"There you are," he greeted her. "I was wondering where you'd run off to."

"Sorry about that," she smiled apologetically. "Sister drama. As I'm sure you can probably imagine, she was not thrilled when she found out that you invited me here tonight."

"Yes, I believe I can," he chuckled lightly. "Well, it seems you managed to persuade her to accept it."

"Not really. Matt needed her for something so he snagged her, leaving me free to find my way back to the party," she hoped Klaus bought her response. She didn't want to spill what had really happened. "I'm sure she'll give me an earful about it later once we get home."

"Well then, we ought to make the best of the remainder of the party," he paused as his eyes landed on a table off to the side of the room with a game of beer pong all set up. "Fancy a game, love?"

Cassandra followed his gaze to the table and after eyeing it momentarily went against her better judgement. "I'm probably going to regret this later, but sure. Why not?'

Klaus led her over to the table and they both stood on opposite sides. "Ladies first," he handed her the ping pong ball. She took it from him with a smile and got ready to take her first shot. "So…what made you decide to go into journalism?"

Cassandra froze right before letting go of the ball and eyed him curiously. "You looked me up?" Klaus merely smiled mischievously. She quickly realized the answer to her own question and laughed it off as she tossed the small white ball. "Of course you did. Well, I got involved with the school paper when I was in middle school, so I guess my love for the process of interviewing people and writing articles started there and carried over through high school and into college."

Klaus took the ball out of the cup it had landed in and drank the liquid it contained before making his first successful shot. "So, if you were to interview me for an article, what sort of questions would you ask me?" He eyed her curiously.

She drank from the cup he'd made the ball land in and made her next shot, only this time it hit the rim of the cub and bounced sideways. She groaned softly in dismay at the missed shot. It had been quite a while since she'd played this party game and she was rusty.

"Well," she began while Klaus geared up to take his toss. "It would depend on the reason behind the article. If I were writing it about this party I would ask you about the reason behind it."

"It's a wake for my father," he answered as he tossed the ball into another cup.

Cassandra stared at him confused as she picked up the cup the ball had landed in and drank from it. "Mmm, wait, so let me get this straight. This whole party is because your father died?"

"That's right. The thing you have to understand is that he chased my siblings and me with the intent to kill us for over a thousand years. The fact that he's now dead means we are all finally free," He explained.

"Oh. Wow. I see why you're so happy now. That must be a huge relief," Cassandra made her shot and watched as the ball spun around the rim of the targeted cup but then fell off to the side. She muttered under her breath and shook her head at the miss.

"It is," Klaus nodded. "Now then, what else would you ask me for this hypothetical article?"

"Let's see, if I were doing a piece that was more about you I would ask you about your accomplishments, maybe which ones you're most proud of." She answered.

"Another easy one. My successful creation of the hybrid species." He tossed the ball, and to Cassandra's dismay successfully sunk it into another cup.

"And that is an answer I'd never be able to publish, not unless I wanted to kill my career and spend the rest of my life in a padded room." She shook her head as she picked up the cup, downing the liquid in a couple of gulps. "How about a more…non-supernatural answer."

"Oh alright," Klaus laughed softly. "My artwork."

"You a collector?" Cassandra tossed the ball and did a small fist pump in the air when it landed in a cup. "Finally!"

"Collector and artist actually. You might say I have the rarest collection in the entire world," A proud smile escaped his lips.

"See now that is more like it. That's the kind of thing that would make for a great Arts and Entertainment piece. Would you ever allow photos of your art to be taken…to go alongside the article?" She eyed him as she waited for him to answer.

"Maybe. If you played your cards right," He smirked at her. With his eyes still locked onto hers he tossed the ball effortlessly into another cup.

Cassandra looked down at the cup containing the ball for a moment before finally admitting defeat. "Ugh, I knew I was going to regret agreeing to play this against you. Then again, you have an unfair advantage over me with your supernatural accuracy, so it's not really an even playing field."

Klaus was about to speak when one of his hybrids, a woman with dark skin and short black hair named Mindy, approached him. "You have a visitor," she told him softly.

"Well, tell my visitor I'm on the brink of victory here," he couldn't help smirking as he turned his head toward Mindy."

"He said his name is Mikael," Mindy told him pointedly.

At the mention of the name Mikael, Cassandra noticed a compete shift in Klaus' demeanor. His face hardened. It sent a chill rippling through Cassandra's body. Whoever this Mikael was, Klaus utterly despised him.

"Then we mustn't keep him waiting," Klaus spoke in a low voice. "Move everyone out back. I'm going to have a little chat with my dad."

Cassandra's eyes widened at the word 'dad'. _Wait. Mikael is his DAD? The dad that's been hunting him for the past thousand years?! I thought the guy was finally dead!_ "I thought your dad was dead," she whispered as Mindy walked off to tend to the crowd.

Klaus walked around the table to stand beside her. "So did I, love. Apparently I was misinformed." He paused and took her hand in both of his. "Listen, I want you to go wait out back with everyone else. I'll come and find you once I've dealt with this."

As she fought to ignore the warmth she felt from both his hands clasping hers she nodded slowly. He released her hand so she could slip out with the rest of the people heading out back. As Cassandra began walking she stole one more glimpse of Klaus as he was heading towards the front door.

The sound of the band still playing on stage engulfed her ears as she stepped through the door. She wandered around, biding her time until Klaus came back. She wished she had been familiar with the band so she could enjoy the music more. Eventually she found a spot in the back of the huge crowd near the stage and planted herself to watch for a little while.

After listening to the band play through a couple of songs, Cassandra decided she'd had enough and started to make her way back towards the house. She was walking past the area where the kegs where when a burly figure blocked her path. She had no idea who the guy was, but she could smell the alcohol permeating from him.

"Hey sexy lay-day. How you doin'?" the guy, clearly very drunk, made an obvious point of checking her out from head to toe. "You look like you's could use a lil lovin' from good ol' Ronnie."

 _Not on your life, buddy!_ "No thanks," Cassandra answered politely and started to walk around him. Before she could completely get away from him, he reached out and grabbed her wrist.

"Aw, come on baby. Jus gimme a chance," Ronnie pulled her to a stop.

"Let go of me," Cassandra demanded sharply.

Ronnie ignored her request and instead sauntered closer to her. Cassandra tightened her grip on her purse, readying herself to take a swing at the guy when a familiar figure suddenly appeared beside her.

"I believe the lady asked you to let go of her," Klaus spoke in a calm tone that was downright petrifying as he easily pulled Ronnie's hand away from Cassandra's wrist. He gripped Ronnie's hand tightly enough to cause some discomfort and leaned in to compel him. "Leave."

Cassandra sighed in relief as Klaus released Ronnie and watched him slowly walk off. "Thanks for that," she turned to face the Original Hybrid. "Though I was getting ready to hit the guy with my purse."

"Well I can go and bring him back if you'd like," Klaus smiled at her remark.

"No, that's okay," Cassandra laughed softly as she shook her head. As she was looking at Klaus her gaze landed on some dark red stains that were on his jacket and shirt. When she realized the stains were blood she reached out, touching the side of his shoulder without thinking. "Oh my god, you're bleeding!"

"It's okay, love," he placed his hand on top of hers reassuringly. "I'm already healed. It's just a little blood left over from a scuffle with dear old dad, who is officially dead now."

"Oh!" she blushed, suddenly embarrassed for freaking out over nothing. She quickly pulled her out from under his and brought it back down to her side. "So…I'm not sure if I should offer my congratulations or my condolences."

"My family and I are finally free, so congratulations will do just fine."

"Congratulations, then," Cassandra smiled.

"Thank you," he smiled back at her. "I hope, despite the turn of events, that you've had a good time tonight."

"Aside from what just happened and getting my butt kicked in beer pong, yeah, I have been enjoying myself."

"I'll go easier on you next time. I promise."

"Next time?" Cassandra raised her eyebrows. "You're that certain there'll be a next time, are ya?"

"As a matter of fact," he smirked, "I am."

Cassandra was a little taken aback by his confidence and struggled to find her voice for a brief moment. "Well that's.." she trailed off when she felt her phone vibrate from inside her small purse. "Saved by the phone."

It was a text from Caroline. _WHERE R U? GET HOME NOW!_

She let out a heavy sigh as shifted her eyes back to Klaus. "It's my sister. She is not happy with me at the moment. I suppose I should head home and face the music."

"I'm guessing it has something to do with me," he mused before offering his arm. "Allow me to walk you out."

Cassandra smiled as she slipped her arm around his. "Probably. Although Tyler vervained her to get her out of the house, so it might have something to do with that too." She figured there was no harm in Klaus knowing about that earlier occurrence now.

"Did he now?" Klaus chuckled as they began to walk up to the mansion now. "He really was desperate to protect her tonight."

"Yeah, he was." Cassandra nodded as they weaved their way through the remaining people inside.

Eventually they made it to the front door, which he held open, and allowed her to step outside first. As they headed to where she parked her car, she had to let go of his arm to get her keys out of her purse. While she was feeling around for them, she suddenly noticed Klaus had moved his hand to the middle of her back, guiding her along. The simple touch made her heart flutter. She stole the quickest of glances, moving only her eyes, and saw a smile tugging at his lips. She groaned inwardly, having confirmed her suspicion that he had absolutely heard her heart jump at his light touch. Sometimes, like in that very moment, she almost hated that she knew about vampire super-hearing.

She pulled her keys out as they approached her little white car. "This is me," she murmured as she tapped the 'unlock' button on her keyless remote.

"Allow me," Klaus murmured once they'd reached the driver's side of her car. He removed his hand from her back and reached for the handle and opened the door for her.

"Thank you," she gave him a warm smile as she climbed into her car.

"Cassandra, it has been a pleasure being in your company tonight," Klaus leaned down to her level. "I hope to see you again soon."

"Me too," Cassandra murmured softly. They both said goodnight before he shut her door for her.

She sent Caroline a quick text, letting her know she was on her way home, before putting the car into 'drive'. As she drove off, she glanced at Klaus through her rear view mirror until it became too dark to see his standing form. During the drive home, she replayed the night's events. She'd been completely blown away by his gentlemanly nature. _How can a crazy killer have such an opposite, kinder side?_

"Clearly there is a hell of a lot more to him than anyone realizes," she mumbled to herself. As she pulled up to her house she made up her mind not to dwell on it anymore for the night. She parked the car and slowly climbed out. She noticed her mother's police cruiser wasn't around which meant another late night at the station.

When she was finally inside the house she quietly made her way down the hallway to her room. She wasn't looking forward to dealing with her unhappy sister and prayed she had decided to go to bed. _Who am I kidding? This is Caroline we're talking about. She won't wait until tomorrow to talk to me._ Cassandra shook her head as she walked into her room and flipped on the light. She tossed her purse onto her bed and walked over to her dresser. She was removing her earrings when Caroline suddenly appeared behind her.

"We need to talk," she said flatly.

"Caroline!" Cassandra jumped in surprise, dropping her earring in the process. She reached down and picked it up before turning around to face her sister. "Geezuz, you scared me! What about?"

"Klaus."


	6. Promises To Keep

**Thank you guys so much for those wonderful reviews on the last chapter. They really made grin like a fool! Read on to see what Caroline has to say about her sister's new original hybrid friend. Enjoy and thank you again for reading!**

* * *

 **Chapter 6 - Promises To Keep**

 _"We need to talk," she said flatly._

 _"Caroline!" Cassandra jumped in surprise, dropping her earring in the process. She reached down and picked it up before turning around to face her sister. "Geezuz, you scared me! What about?"_

 _"Klaus."_

 _Cassandra turned back around to face her dresser and removed her other earring. "What about Klaus?" she asked casually._

 _"Don't play dumb, Cass. You know what about," Caroline folded her arms across her chest._

Knowing her sister wouldn't leave until they'd hashed it out, Cassandra slowly turned back around to face her. "Fine," she sighed. "It's not like I didn't see this coming anyway."

"He's not a good guy, Cass. Or did you forget he killed Elena's Aunt Jenna last year? Or about the countless other times he's tried to kill Elena or Bonnie, and then there's everything he put Stefan through over the summer. Don't even get me started on the way he manipulates Tyler and the other hybrids using that stupid sire bond." Caroline ranted. "He's a vindictive, controlling, manipulative, monster. He only cares about himself and his hybrids, in that order."

"I know, okay?" Cassandra walked around Caroline over to her bed and sat down. She stared at her hands for a moment before looking back up at her sister. "I haven't forgotten about any of the horrible things he's done, but—"

"No buts," Caroline walked over and sat down next to Cassandra.

"Caroline, you weren't there tonight. He was a perfect gentleman to me. He rescued me from this crazy drunk guy that wouldn't take a hint. He opened doors for me. He even walked me to my car. It's like we're talking about two totally different people."

"A couple of good deeds doesn't make up for all of the horrible things he's done," Caroline argued.

"I know it doesn't," Cassandra couldn't help agreeing with her, as much as she didn't want to.

Caroline put a hand on her shoulder. "I just don't want you to get hurt, or become a pawn like Tyler."

"I don't want that either."

"And it won't, as long as you stay away from him. Promise me you will, Cass."

Cassandra nodded her head slowly. "I promise."

"Good."

Cassandra had wanted to point out that there was still nothing stopping Klaus from seeking her out even if she kept her distance, but she wasn't in the mood to hash things out any further so she kept her mouth shut on the matter.

"On a completely different note, I hope you weren't too hard on Tyler for vervaining you," Cassandra eyed her sister. "He was doing what he had to do to protect you."

"I broke up with him," Caroline answered bluntly. "I can't be with him while he's sired to Klaus, no matter how well-intentioned he may be towards me."

"Oh wow. I'm so sorry, Care," Cassandra wrapped an arm around her sister's shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "I know how much you love him."

"Sometimes love isn't enough." Caroline suddenly stood to her feet. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. It's late. It's been a long day, and now that you're home and I said what I needed to say to you, I'm going to bed. See you in the morning."

"Okay," Cassandra nodded. "G'night."

Once Caroline had left the room Cassandra changed out of her dress and into her pajamas, a t-shirt and shorts, and slipped into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. She stole a quick glance at Caroline's closed room on her way back down the hall. Her heart ached for her baby sister and the huge choice she had made regarding Tyler. As much as she cared about him and liked him and Caroline as a couple, hybrid sire bonds aside, she couldn't help agreeing with her sister's decision.

As Cassandra climbed into bed and got settled for the night she found her thoughts drifting onto Klaus, the image of his handsome face filling her mind. She knew it was going to be impossible to avoid him entirely in a small town like Mystic Falls, but she was determined to do her best to keep her promise to her sister. _Doesn't mean I can't daydream about his ridiculously handsome face!_ Cassandra smiled to herself. She fell asleep not long after that with a smile on her face.

-o-

The next morning Cassandra didn't crawl out of bed until after ten. She slowly trudged down the hall towards the kitchen on the hunt for coffee. She came to an abrupt stop next to the kitchen table. The tabletop was covered in an explosion of papers and post-it notes.

"What on earth…" she mumbled, puzzled at the sight before her.

"Morning," Caroline looked up from the chair she was sitting in on at one end of the table. "Don't mind the mess. I'm just working on the event calendar for the rest of the school year, getting organized."

"Oh...kay," Cassandra nodded slowly and continued on to the kitchen. _She's overcompensating,_ Cassandra sighed as she grabbed a mug out of the cupboard and filled it with coffee. She stood in the kitchen enjoying the first sips of her coffee before relocating to the couch in the living room. She knew once Caroline got into one of these whirlwind planning moods it was best to leave her be until it subsided. If she needed any help, Cassandra had no doubt that Caroline had a list of people to recruit from. Hearing the sound of Caroline's voice on the phone a minute later only further confirmed it.

Seeing that Caroline had taken over the entire kitchen table, Cassandra decided it was the perfect excuse to eat out for breakfast that morning. She quickly downed the rest of her coffee and left the mug in the kitchen sink before making a quick escape to her room to get dressed. She slipped on a pair of faded blue jeans and a loose fitting maroon t-shirt. She made quick work of brushing her hair and decided to go with the wavy look it was giving her that morning. Once she had her shoes on and had grabbed her favorite white jacket from her closet, she double checked that she'd grabbed her newest book purchase stuffed into her purse and headed on her way.

"I'll be at the Grill if you need me," she murmured to Caroline, who mumbled a response, as she walked out the front door.

When she arrived at the Mystic Grill she was pleased to see that there weren't many people seated outside. She chose one of the smaller tables set for two next to the restaurant windows and took a seat. A waitress came by a couple of moments later to take her order.

"I'll have the Western Omelet with a side of bacon and an orange juice," Cassandra told the waitress as she handed back the menu.

"Comin' right up," the woman told her with a smile before heading back into the restaurant.

While she waited for her food Cassandra dug her new book out of her purse and settled into her seat as she began reading.

Meanwhile, Inside The Mystic Grill…

"Jeremy, the minute that you get this call me!" Elena paced back and forth as she left an angry message on her brother's phone. " She pulled her phone away from her ear and ended the call. She had just learned that he'd been fired from his job at the Mystic Grill over a week ago and hadn't told her. "Unbelievable!"

Damon threw a dart at a dartboard on the wall, hitting the bullseye before turning to Elena. "You are feisty when you're mad."

"It's not that I'm mad," she folded her arms, "I'm just…I'm worried."

"But why? He lost his job at the Grill. He can survive, Elena," Damon tried to reassure her.

"He is spiraling." Elena was adamant. "Ever since Bonnie broke up with him, he's moody, he's not really talking to anyone."

"It's typical teenager."

"Who's seeing ghosts and has lost everyone that he cares about."

Damon turned back to the dartboard and raised his arm to throw another dart. "Not everyone. He still has you." He threw the dart and sauntered up to the board to retrieve the stuck darts so he could throw them again.

"You okay?" Elena asked softly as he turned around and faced her.

"What makes you think I'm not okay?" He eyed her with a half-smile as he sashayed towards her.

"Well, you're a day drunk," she pointed out. "It's not exactly your most attractive look."

"Oh. What is my most attractive look?" Damon continued walking towards Elena until he was right in front of her.

"Uh-uh. I'm not saying you have any attractive looks. I'm saying this is my least favorite one."

"Noted. See if I can make any improvements," he cracked a sideways grin at her.

Suddenly, Klaus's voice rang out from behind them, interrupting their little moment. "Don't mind me."

Elena snapped her head in his direction. "Klaus," she murmured, clearly nervous that he was now there. Klaus's lips curled into a smirk at the acknowledgement and sound of fear in her voice.

"You gonna do this at the Grill?" Damon eyed Klaus suspiciously. "In front of everyone? It's a little beneath you, don't you think?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I just came down to my local pub to grab a drink with a mate," Klaus took a few steps towards Damon and Elena. He turned his head to speak to his friend who was standing behind him. "Get a round in, would you Tony?"

Elena stared at the man behind Klaus in shock, realizing he had been the guy that was tailing her when she'd been out jogging earlier that morning. Klaus grinned wildly at the expression her face, knowing she'd just made the connection.

"I'm surprised you stuck around town long enough for happy hour," Damon retorted after Tony had walked off to fulfill Klaus's request.

Klaus's face hardened. "My sister seems to be missing. Need to sort that out."

"Cute, blonde bombshell, psycho. Shouldn't be too hard to find," Damon answered. In reality, he and Elena knew exactly where Rebekah was because Elena had daggered her the night before and Damon had moved her to the cellar at the Salvatore Boarding House. They just couldn't let Klaus find out about it.

Klaus took a few more steps towards Damon, who had strategically placed himself in front of Elena, and stopped when he was directly in front of the vampire. "Truth is I've grown to rather like your little town. Think I might fancy a home here." He paused and took the darts Damon had been holding on to out of Damon's hand before walking around him to face the dart board. "I imagine you're wondering how does this affect you. And the answer is, not in the slightest. As long as I get what I want and everyone behaves themselves, you can go on living your little lives however you choose. You have my word."

"What more could you possibly want?" Elena wondered.

"Well for starters," Klaus turned to face the doppelganger and got in her face. "You can tell me where I might find Stefan."

"Stefan skipped town the second he saved your ass," Damon inserted himself between Elena and Klaus.

"Well, you see, that is a shame," Klaus turned around and threw a dart, hard, hitting a perfect bullseye with a loud thud before turning to face the pair again. His irritation at Damon's bother Stefan was obvious. "Your brother stole from me. I need him found so I can take back what's mine."

"That sounds like a Klaus and Stefan problem," Elena boldly remarked.

Klaus stepped towards her, a sneer on his face, but before he could get any closer, Damon stepped in front of Elena. Klaus turned to Damon, grinning at his protective behavior towards Elena. A chuckle escaped his lips as he turned back to Elena. "Well, this is me broadening the scope, sweetheart."

He turned back around and threw the remaining two darts in his hand, getting two more perfect bullseyes. He smirked at Damon before walking past him and went over to where his friend Tony was waiting at the bar with two glasses of bourbon. He brought the glass to his lips, letting his eyes linger on Damon and Elena who were talking in hushed voices where he'd left them. He savored the taste of the liquid as it rolled down his throat. Once he'd emptied the glass he set it down on the bar top and turned to address Tony.

"I have a couple of things to take care of. I'll let you know when it's time to pay another visit to our 'friends'." He told the hybrid.

"And those two?" Tony nodded at Elena and Damon.

"Oh, I've got them right where I want them," he smirked. "I'll be in touch, Tony."

Klaus turned and made his way back outside. He had taken only a few steps down the street when he spotted Cassandra sitting at one of the little tables, reading from a book. He noticed an empty plate and a glass containing the remnants of orange juice had been pushed over to the side. He casually strolled over to her table. "Hello, Cassandra. Fancy meeting you here!" a warm grin spread across his lips.

Cassandra's head shot up in surprise at the sound of his familiar voice. She smiled as she met his eyes with her own. "Klaus. Hey," she murmured. While she was happy to see him again, she couldn't help thinking about the conversation she'd had with Caroline the night before and the promise she'd made.

"Dining alone?" he raised his eyebrows curiously.

"Yeah. My sister's gone a little crazy back at the house with organizing upcoming school events and I thought it best to stay out of her hair." Cassandra nodded slowly. "What brings you here?"

"Just grabbing a drink with a friend. I was on my way out when I saw you. Do you mind if I…" he paused and nodded at the empty chair across from her.

"Oh, not at all," Cassandra motioned for him to sit. As he slid into the chair she marked her current place in her book and set it down on the table.

"Nicholas Sparks," Klaus glanced at the cover. "I've heard of him, but I've not read any of his work."

"Yeah, I'm not all that surprised by that actually. They're pretty sappy romance novels." Cassandra chuckled. "You seem more like the Edgar Allan Poe type."

"Ah yes, Poe. Fantastic writer," Klaus agreed. "I believe I have a few first editions of his work on my bookshelf."

"First editions? Those have got to be worth between five and six figures now. I mean…not that you'd ever sell them, but still…wow!" Cassandra realized she was rambling. "Sorry. I kind of love books."

"It's quite alright, love. I'll have to show you my collection sometime, though I admit, it's nothing compared to my brother Elijah's. His library might just make your head spin."

"Stop it, you're making me drool!" Cassandra laughed. The idea of seeing such rare books was thrilling to her, but it wasn't helping her when it came to keeping the promise she had made to her sister.

"If you insist," Klaus leaned back, amused. "What other interests do you have?"

Cassandra thought about her answer for a brief moment. "Music. Theater. I took piano lessons when I was younger, but once I started high school and got involved with the school paper and yearbook I didn't have any extra time for it. I'm afraid I'm a little rusty now. I love classical music or anything played on the piano. It really is a beautiful instrument."

"It is indeed," Klaus nodded. "And theater?"

"Ah, yes. In college some of my assignments involved seeing some of the local shows so that I could then right up a mock newspaper review on them. I had no idea what I was missing out on before I started going to shows. I have since added seeing a real, authentic show on Broadway in New York to my bucket list."

"Books, music, theater…are you sure you belong in this century?" Klaus raised his eyebrows.

"Oh yes," Cassandra laughed. "I love technology, too. I don't know where I'd be without my cell phone and laptop.

"I stand corrected," Klaus laughed.

"What about you?" Cassandra leaned forward slightly as she turned the conversation back onto him. "Tell me more about your art."

His laughing subsided into a smile. "Well, what do you want to know?"

"I don't know. Do you draw? Paint? What kinds of things do you create? Landscapes? Portraits? Or more abstract pieces?"

"Both, it just depends on my mood in the moment. The art I create also depends on my mood. I guess you could say I'm a mood driven artist. I've done a bit of everything, from portraits to landscapes to more abstract kinds of art. I even have a few pieces in select museums around the world."

"Woah. That's incredible!"

"Mmmm. I'm quite proud of them if I do say so myself."

"Why do I get the feeling there may have been some compulsion involved," Cassandra shook her head slightly.

"You said it, not me." Klaus grinned.

She shook her head again, this time with a soft laugh. "What am I saying, of course you used compulsion."

"Perhaps once you see my collection for yourself you'll understand why."

It was the second time since he'd sat down that he'd made a comment about a future encounter. It only made her think about her promise to Caroline more, which in turn frustrated her to no end.

"I suppose I will," she found herself telling him, despite her inner frustrations.

"Well," he suddenly sighed softly, "As much as I have been enjoying this conversation, there are a few things I must take care of, so I'm afraid I must leave."

"Yeah, I should probably head home too. The dining table needs to be rescued from Caroline's clutches," she chuckled as they both rose out of their chairs.

"Cassandra, it has been a pleasure," Klaus walked around the table until he was standing beside her. "I hope to see you again, soon."

"Me too," she nodded with a smile as she fought to ignore the annoying voice in her head reminding her of her promise.

Once Cassandra was back in her car driving home she let out a frustrated growl as she hit the steering wheel with her first. "God…why does he have to be so…so…charming! And handsome! And funny!" She could feel her desire to know him growing stronger. If they continued to have runs like the one they just had she was in serious trouble.

-o-

Cassandra stared at her ceiling that night after she went to bed, her mind reeling learning about the attempt on Jeremy Gilbert's life by the original hybrid himself. She wasn't sure what angered her more—the fact that Klaus had tried to have Jeremy killed, or the fact that he had used Tyler to get Jeremy off of vervain so he could be compelled. Both made her stomach churn. To think that earlier that very same day she had been chatting casually with Klaus, cracking jokes with him, and the entire time he'd been scheming under her nose.

Caroline had told her it was because Stefan had taken the coffins containing Klaus's daggered siblings and wouldn't give them back. Did it justify what Klaus did? Not in her mind, but it did help her understand where his need for retaliation was stemming from, not that understanding changed anything. The only thing that did change was that she was finally on the same page as Caroline and everyone else regarding the Original Hybrid. As she fell asleep, she was no longer worried about her promise. She wanted nothing to do with him and planned to tell him so the next time their paths crossed.


	7. Birthday Blues

**Thank you guys so much for the amazing comments on the last chapter. They mean so much to me. Enjoy this next chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 7 - Birthday Blues**

Cassandra glanced at the clock on her phone. _6:29 AM. Time to wake up the birthday girl,_ she grinned as she tipped toed into Caroline's room. As quietly as she could, she climbed onto her sister's bed and rose to her feet. She gazed down at Caroline's sleeping form for a moment before taking a deep breath.

"HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Cassandra started jumping up and down on the bed to wake her sister. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! WOO! You're finally eighteen!"

"Ugh, go away," Caroline groaned as she covered her head with her pillow.

"Aw, come on Care," Cassandra shook her playfully and continued jumping around. "You've only been waiting for this for eighteen years. Rise and shine, birthday girl!"

"If you stop bouncing I'll get up," Caroline sighed.

Cassandra obliged and stopped moving. "You used to love when I woke you up on your birthday like that."

"Yeah, when I was ten and thought sleep was over rated," Caroline sounded more snappy then she intended to, as indicated by Cassandra's surprised expression. "Sorry. I just…I'm not in a celebratory mood today."

"Who are you and what have you done with my sister?" Cassandra stared down at her. When Caroline stayed silent, Cassandra hopped off the bed so she could sit down on the edge. "Hey, what's wrong? You've never been like this on your birthday before."

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired I guess."

Cassandra didn't believe her, but she wasn't about to press her on it, not that day. "Alright, then. I guess I'll let you get ready for school."

She got up from her sitting position and left Caroline's room. _Well, that was a bust,_ Cassandra sighed sadly as she wandered back into her own room. She knew there was no way she would go back to sleep so she decided to go for an early morning run. She'd started running a couple times a week per Alaric's recommendation in addition to the muscle training he had been helping her with.

She quickly changed into a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt and slipped on her running shoes. She pulled her hair back into a ponytail and headed into the kitchen. Her eyes landed on the coffee pot, but she told herself she had to wait until after her run to make some. Instead she reached for a banana from the basket of fruit on the counter and began peeling it. Caroline came in as she took her first bite and grabbed a banana for herself.

"Going for a run?" Caroline noticed Cassandra's attire.

"Yeah, figured I might as well be productive since I'm up this early."

"Just watch out for creepy stalker hybrids," Caroline joked.

"Ugh, don't say that," Cassandra shook her head as she recalled what had happened to Elena the previous morning. "Hybrids have no reason to be on my tail."

"Who says they need a reason? Klaus can order them to do whatever he wants, and they'll do it because of the stupid sire bond."

"Are you trying to dissuade me from going out or something?"

"Is it working?" Caroline grinned.

"Nope," Cassandra shook her head before popping the last bit of her banana into her mouth.

"Fine. Just be careful, okay?" Caroline gave her a serious look.

"Yes mom," Cassandra quickly skipped around Caroline, barely managing to avoid a swat against her arm, to throw away her banana peel.

They both left the house together, and after Caroline drove off, Cassandra slipped her earbuds into her ears and began jogging down the street. Even though she had music playing there was still a peacefulness in the air that she enjoyed. She focused on her steps and her breathing as she ran, keeping a steady rhythm. She did her best not to look over her shoulder like a paranoid scaredy cat.

After she finished her run, she downed a tall glass of water to rehydrate and took a hot shower. Once she was dressed in pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt, she made herself a steaming cup of coffee and crashed on the couch with her laptop. She went straight to her email, hoping to find a response from a newspaper a couple of towns over that she'd sent her resumé and a writing sample to.

"There it is!" she whispered once her inbox had loaded. The time stamp showed the email had been sent just a few minutes ago. Holding her breath, Cassandra opened the email and slowly read it. When she got to the words, 'Unfortunately, we are unable…' she closed out the email as disappointment rushed through her.

"Oh well," she sighed sadly. She tried not to dwell on it. All she could do was keep trying. She spent the next little while searching around for more job openings. Once she had finished her coffee, she called it quits and stretched out the couch to take a nap.

Later That Afternoon

Cassandra was seated at the kitchen table, putting the finishing touches on a new piece of writing for another job application, when she heard voices outside the front door. She jumped up to see who was there and smiled when she saw the familiar faces of Elena, Bonnie, and Matt through the window.

"Hey guys," she greeted them with a smile after opening the door. "What brings you here?"

"Caroline never came to school today, so we thought we'd bring the party to her," Elena answered as she held up a bag full of party supplies.

"I was afraid of that," Cassandra sighed as she let the trio inside and shut the door behind them. "I ambushed her in bed this morning like I used to when she was a kid, and she didn't respond like I had hoped. She was kind of a grump. If anyone can shake her out of it, it's you guys."

"We'll give it our best shot," Matt smiled as they all sat down in the living room.

"How's the job search going?" Bonnie asked Cassandra.

"Really slow. I got another rejection this morning. I knew what I was getting myself into when I started down this path, though." Cassandra sighed.

"You could always work at The Grill," Matt suggested. Cassandra stared at him with raised eyebrows. "Or not…"

"I appreciate the thought, Matt," Cassandra gave him a reassuring smile. "That place is great for you high schoolers, but I'm looking for something a little more…"

"Career oriented." Bonnie finished. Cassandra nodded.

A moment later they heard the sound of a car door being shut outside. "She's here!" Elena whispered gleefully. She passed out some birthday hats to Bonnie, Matt, and Cassandra, and placed a fuzzy, purple tiara on her own head. They quietly gathered in the living room and listened. A few seconds passed, then they heard the sound of the front door opening and closing. Elena counted to three with her fingers and then they bolted into the foyer to surprise Caroline

"SURPRISE!" The four of them yelled as they ran up to the birthday girl. Caroline flinched as she turned to face them.

"Happy Birthday!" Matt grinned with his arms stretched out wide behind Bonnie and Elena.

"What are you guys doing here?" Caroline stared at them in disbelief.

Elena shared a grin with Bonnie before turning to Caroline. "Well, you blew off school and missed our work of birthday art, so…" she paused and transferred the tiara she'd been waring onto Caroline's head.

"Change into warmer clothes. We are going to the Falls. S'mores, camp fire," Bonnie continued.

"Cake! Like when we were little," Elena finished.

"Except for the tequila!" Matt added.

Cassandra shook her head laughing. "I'm just going to pretend I didn't hear that last part."

"Thanks, guys," Caroline smiled weakly. "Really. Um…I'm just not really feeling my birthday this year."

"I'm sorry, what?" Bonnie refused to accept this. "You've already claimed your birthday as everyone's favorite day of the year."

"Yeah, and now it's just a reminder that, technically, I'm dead," Caroline sighed. "Look, I didn't even like seventeen. And the only point to seventeen is to get to eighteen. It's a filler year. I'm stuck in a filler year."

"You're not stuck, Care." Cassandra tried to cheer her up now that she understood why her sister was acting so out of character on her birthday.

"Yeah, I am, but it's okay. You know, it's all good. I'll be fine. I just need some time to wallow in it." Caroline tried to get them to understand.

"Okay. Well, I think I have another idea," a grin spread across Elena's face. She proceeded to tell the group her idea, which everyone, including Caroline, went for. While Caroline went to change, Cassandra helped Elena and Matt get a couple of lanterns from the garage.

"You should come with us," Elena urged Cassandra as they walked back into the living room.

Cassandra waved a hand, dismissing the idea. "Nah. I don't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be," Matt spoke up. "You're her sister. You should get to celebrate with her too."

"Yeah!" Bonnie and Elena agreed.

"I want you to come," Caroline suddenly appeared in the living room.

"Wow, you guys drive a hard bargain," Cassandra laughed. "I'll go grab my jacket."

They all piled into Matt's truck a few minutes later and headed out.

* * *

Tyler slowly trudged inside Klaus's work-in-progress mansion after being summoned by the original hybrid. He found Klaus in one of the upstairs rooms, clearly in a foul mood. As he approached Klaus, another hybrid named Daniel walked by him holding a bloody bag. It didn't take long for Tyler to figure out what was in the bag.

"You called?" Tyler sighed. "I'm here. What happened?"

"What happened is Stefan had two paths in front of him and he chose the one that made me angry. I need you to help me do something about that," Klaus explained.

Tyler didn't like the direction the conversation was taking. "Can't you just leave me out of it?"

"What would be the point in that?"

"Seriously, man, can't you just get another hybrid to do your bidding? I lost my friends, my girlfriend."

"Right, your, uh, your girlfriend," Klaus smiled wickedly as he walked up to Tyler. "Um, about her…I need you to bite her."

"What?" Tyler shouted.

"Don't make me repeat myself," Klaus spoke in a low voice.

"A hybrid bite will kill a vampire."

"Yeah. Yeah, I know exactly what it will do. Uh, Stefan pushed me too far, so I'm pushing back."

"I'm not biting Caroline!" Tyler refused to put her life in jeopardy, all for the sake of some stupid vendetta.

"Tyler," Klaus tilted his head, a sly smile spread across his lips. "I've been supernaturally blessed with the good fortune of a sire bond to you. So one could consider this me putting your undying loyalty to the test."

Tyler got in Klaus's face. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He hissed. "I'm not hurting Caroline."

"All right. All right," Klaus nodded his head slightly before walking away from Tyler. "I'm disappointed, but you know, it's your choice, free will and all that. I'll find another way to strike at Stefan. You can go now."

Relief flooded through Tyler as he nodded and hurried away from the mansion.

* * *

Elena led Bonnie, Matt, Caroline, and Cassandra through the dark and quiet graveyard, the glow of the lanterns and flashlights guided their path.

"There it is!" Elena called out as she shined her flashlight on a gated Fell family Crypt up ahead.

"This is creepy, even for us," Bonnie pushed open the gate and used the lantern she was holding to light up the place.

Elena walked around to the far side and set down the cake box she'd been holding on a pillar. "No, Caroline was right. Technically, she's dead," she paused and gave an apologetic smile to Caroline for her bluntness. "Sorry. But you don't need a birthday, you need a funeral. You need to say goodbye to your old life so that you can move on with your new one."

"I think it's a brilliant idea," Cassandra grinned. "I couldn't agree more."

"Okay," Caroline nodded slowly. She removed the tiara from her head and set it aside before turning to face everyone. "Here lies Caroline Forbes."

Elena began putting candles into the birthday cake she'd brought for Caroline. "Cheerleader, Miss Mystic Falls, third grade hopscotch champion." Caroline giggled at the last part.

"Baby sister, fashion guru, coconspirator in finding all of mom's hiding places for Christmas presents," Cassandra added with a beaming smile at her younger sister.

"Friend, daughter, overachiever," Bonnie threw in her two cents.

"Mean girl, sometimes, no offense," Matt laughed softly.

"Ah. None taken," Caroline shrugged it off, knowing he wasn't totally wrong.

"She was seventeen, and she had a really good life. So, rest in peace so that you can move forward." Elena finished putting all the candles into the cake and carried it over to Caroline. "That's what you really need. It's what we all really need. Amen or cheers or whatever."

Everyone laughed and watched in amazement as Bonnie used her witch magic to light all the candles at once.

"Woah!" Cassandra gasped in amazement.

"Nice," Elena chuckled, than turned to Caroline. "Okay make a wish."

Caroline stared at the brightly lit candles before closing her eyes as she thought about her wish. A moment later she opened them again and blew out the candles. Everyone cheered and took turns giving Caroline a hug. Elena took the cake from Caroline and started cutting pieces for everyone. After Matt was handed his piece he reached over for the bottle of tequila that Bonnie was holding, but Elena quickly snatched it out of his hand.

"Uh-uh. I need it more than you do, trust me," Elena told him as she took a swig from the bottle.

Cassandra shook her head, rolling her eyes slightly as she took a bite of cake. She glanced over at Caroline and found her texting on her phone. "Caroline, what are you doing?"

"Hmm? Huh? Nothing," Caroline tried her best to act innocent as hid her phone.

None of them were buying it. Elena was the one to call Caroline out. "Okay, you're a bad sober liar. You're an even worse drunk liar."

"I might have texted Tyler," Caroline bit her lip.

"Caroline…" Elena sighed.

"What? I'm delicate," Caroline argued.

"Give her a break. You can't control what everyone does all the time," Bonnie suddenly spoke out. Everyone stared at her, unsure of what to say for a second.

"Wow," Elena replied slowly.

"Ouch, Bon." Matt got up and moved away from Bonnie.

Cassandra decided to refrain from commenting. She didn't mind that her sister had texted Tyler. She had been tempted to do the same thing, hoping to surprise Caroline with his arrival. She hadn't realized it would cause drama between Caroline and Elena.

"Sorry," Bonnie sighed and looked from Caroline to Elena. "I know it's Caroline's birthday, funeral or whatever, but, I just feel it's really wrong that you compelled Jeremy to leave town."

Elena tried to justify her decision. "I'm doing it to protect him Bonnie. I want to give him a chance at a halfway normal life."

"He should be able to choose how he wants to live it. You're talking his choices away."

"Bonnie, you can't tell him."

"Why? Are you gonna compel me not to?" Bonnie challenged Elena.

Cassandra had heard enough. "Okay, that's enough. I will not allow the two of you to ruin my sister's birthday slash funeral. Both of you need to go to separate corners and chill out."

"I'm sorry," Bonnie sighed and stood up. "I'm just gonna go sleep it off or something. Happy Birthday, Caroline."

They all watched as Bonnie walked out of the crypt. No one said anything for a little while. They continued to eat cake and passed around the bottle of tequila. Eventually they started talking again as the tension cleared away. They began sharing memories of growing up with Caroline. After a particularly funny story Cassandra shared about Caroline and Elena and a makeup mishap when they were both four left them all in a state of giggles, the iron gates to the crypt slowly opened as Tyler walked in. Matt quickly rose to his feet, clearly displeased at his arrival.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to crash the party," Tyler stopped next to the open gates.

"So don't," Matt replied coldly.

"No, it's, uh, it's okay," Caroline told Matt as she quickly rose to her feet, then turned to Tyler. "Hi."

"Can I talk to you for a sec?" Tyler asked her softly. "It's kind of important."

Caroline nodded and followed him outside. Cassandra could tell by the look on Matt's face that he was less than thrilled at the change of events.

"What's wrong, Matt?" she moved so she was sitting next to him and across from Elena.

"Are you okay?" Elena asked him.

"Yeah. I want her to be happy, you know?" he sighed and took a drink from the bottle of tequila. "It's what I want for all of you guys in the middle of this crazy life you got stuck living."

Elena stared at him. "Is that how you see it? That we're stuck?"

He nodded slowly. "I'd say it's attached itself to you all pretty tight, yeah." Matt offered Cassandra the tequila bottle, but when she shook her head no, he passed it on to Elena, who took it.

"Bonnie is right, you know." Elena looked up as she shook her head. "I have no business messing in Jeremy's head. I just don't know what else to do. He is in danger here. I can't loose anyone else that I love."

Cassandra got up and moved so she was sitting beside Elena. "Hey, I get it. Maybe because I'm an older sibling too." She put a comforting hand on Elena's arm. "If I were in your shoes and I had the chance to have my sister compelled to leave town and get away from all this, despite the way I feel about free will, I'd take it in a heartbeat. We do whatever it takes to protect our younger siblings because it's in our job descriptions as the older sibling. Even if they don't know about it."

"I guess," Elena nodded slowly.

"Bonnie will get over her issues with it all eventually," Cassandra gave her a gentle shoulder bump. "She never could stay mad at you guys for very long."

"That's true," Elena cracked a small smile. She took another drink from the tequila bottle and passed it to Cassandra who copied her.

After a little more time had passed and Caroline hadn't returned, they decided to go and look for her. Matt led the way, shining a flashlight around as he called out Caroline's name.

"Great, we've been abandoned," Elena sighed when they failed to find Caroline. "Okay, we're going on a search party. I don't trust that she won't get back together with him."

Cassandra nodded her head in agreement. As much as she wanted her sister and Tyler to be together, she knew as long as he was sired to Klaus, it was way too dangerous for Caroline. "Unless they used vampire hyper-speed, they couldn't have gone very far." Cassandra pointed out.

"Caroline!" Matt called out again.

"Come on, Caroline. We don't have anymore drinks. Matt's being haunted by the Fell ghosts," Elena laughed as she playfully pushed Matt. Cassandra shook her head as Matt smiled and pushed Elena back lightly.

Cassandra was about to make a comment when she suddenly found herself being pushed to the ground so hard it knocked the wind out of her. She coughed and gasped for breath as she rolled onto her side. She could hear Matt groaning a few feet away from her, but she couldn't yet call out to him.

"What the hell?" she mumbled when she finally got her breathing under control.

"You okay?" Matt suddenly appeared hovering over her. He held his hand out to her. She took it and allowed him to help pull her up to her feet.

"Yeah, are you?" Cassandra nodded as she dusted herself off.

"I'm fine. If I had to guess, considering Elena is suddenly gone, I'd say that was Stefan." Matt deduced.

"Really? Why would he...no, you know what? On second thought, let's just find my sister and get the hell out of here." Cassandra exhaled slowly. Matt nodded and picked up the flashlight from the ground where he'd dropped it when he was thrown against the stone wall and started shining it around.

They continued calling out Caroline's name, hoping she'd hear it and answer back. They took turns calling out her name as they walked. Finally they found her curled up on the ground next to the base of a tree.

"T-Tyler…he bit me," Caroline cried with a shaky voice.

"He did WHAT?" Cassandra shouted as Matt moved the flashlight's beam onto her neck to look at the bite wound. Cassandra's eyes widened in horror when she saw how bad it looked. "Oh my god!"

"We need to get her home. Here take this," Matt handed the flashlight to Cassandra and lifted Caroline into his arms. Cassandra guided their way back to his truck and opened the passenger door for Matt. She climbed in after he placed Caroline inside and wrapped a protective arm around her as he hopped into the driver's seat and sped off.

Ten minutes later they pulled up to the Forbes House. Cassandra hurried out of the passenger side while Matt jogged around the front of the car and carefully lifted Caroline out. With Caroline in his arms they jogged to the front door. Cassandra could see her mom through the window as she reached for the handle.

"MOM!" she yelled as she pushed the door open, causing her mom's head to snap in her direction.

"Sheriff Forbes!" Matt called out as he walked through the door.

"What happened?" She scurried to meet them at the door.

"Tyler bit her," Cassandra growled flatly as Matt led the way to Caroline's room.

"Oh my god." Elizabeth gasped in horror as Matt carefully placed Caroline down on her bed. "Oh, honey. Caroline, honey, can you hear me."

Caroline moaned and cried in pain. "I'm sorry, mom."

"She's been hallucinating or something. I don't know. No one's picking up their phone," Matt babbled.

Cassandra watched from the doorway as her mom tried to comfort Caroline. The sight of Caroline's wounded neck along with her cries became too much for Cassandra, so she slipped out of the bedroom to regain her composure. As she started to walk down the hall towards the front of the house she noticed a familiar figure standing right outside the front door. She sighed as she slowly made her way to the door and opened it.

"Cassandra," Klaus murmured softly. "I'm sorry we aren't meeting again under better circumstances. Tyler came to see me. Poor boy, he seemed quite distressed. He said Caroline had had a terrible accident."

"Terrible accident?" Cassandra raised her eyebrows as she folded her arms across her chest. "Please. You made him do this to her. He would have _never_ done something like this otherwise."

"I'm here to help, Cassandra," Klaus spoke softly. He saw Elizabeth walking out of Caroline's room over Cassandra's shoulder. "Please, would you or your mother invite me in?"

"I know how this game works," Elizabeth walked up and stood next to her daughter. "You want something in return."

Klaus shook his head slightly. "Just your support."

Cassandra watched as her mother took a moment to process his words. They eyed each other for a brief moment before turning back to Klaus. Both knew it was a no brainer.

"Come in," Elizabeth invited the original hybrid inside.

As he stepped inside he flashed Cassandra the smallest of victorious grins for successfully being able to cross the threshold. She rolled her eyes before shutting the front door and turned to follow him and her mother back to Caroline's room. She hung back just outside the door while her mother and Matt waited in the living room, neither wanting to watch Caroline feed from Klaus.

"Are you going to kill me" she heard Caroline ask in a weak voice.

"On your birthday?" Klaus stared down at her, almost appalled that Caroline would ask such a question. "Do you really think that low of me?"

"Yes."

There was a brief pause before Cassandra heard Klaus speak again. "That looks bad. My apologies. You're what's known as collateral damage. It's nothing personal."

Cassandra's eyes widened in shock at his words. She could feel her blood begin to boil as a wave of anger rushed through her. Not wanting to hear another word he had to say, Cassandra quietly made her way back down the hall and went out onto the front porch to get some air and calm herself down. She went and sat down on the front step, Klaus's words on repeat in her head. _God, I can't believe him!_ A growl bubbled in her chest. _I guess it's better that I realize what Caroline and everyone else said about him is right on the money right now before he has more time to use his stupid charms on me._ She noticed she'd clenched her hands into tight fists and let out a sigh as she slowly relaxed her hands. She stared out at the darkened yard as she worked to push her anger and irritation away.

She wasn't sure how much time had passed when she heard the front door open behind her. Cassandra quickly stood up and turned around to face Klaus as he shut the door behind him and walked towards her.

"Caroline's going to be fine," he stopped next to her.

"Good," Cassandra answered sharply. She folded her arms across her chest as she raised her eyebrows at him. "Collateral damage? Really?"

Klaus let out a sigh. "You heard that?"

"You were hoping I had decided to wait in the living room with my mom? Sorry to disappoint you," she paused, then started shaking her head. "Or actually, I'm not. I'm kind of pissed at you."

"Cassandra—" Klaus wanted to explain.

"Don't 'Cassandra' me," she pointed a finger at him. "And to think I thought you were this gorgeous, charming, funny guy. Caroline was right. You're nothing but a manipulative…" Cassandra trailed off when she noticed Klaus smirking at her. "What?" she huffed.

"You think I'm gorgeous?" he chuckled, clearly amused.

"W-what? That's not what I…that's beside the point," Cassandra sputtered.

"Oh, I rather think it's quite a good point actually," Klaus continued to grin.

"Gah! You are impossible!"

"And I had no idea how utterly adorable you are when you're angry."

Cassandra let out a big breath. She didn't know how to respond to that. She ran a hand through her long hair as she tried to sort out her now jumbled thoughts. Klaus wasn't supposed to know she found him attractive. She still couldn't believe she'd just blurted those things out. She was suddenly wishing she had the tequila bottle from the party/funeral for her sister.

"You know what? I'm done talking to you," she made a snap decision and turned around to walk back to the front door. She hadn't even taken a step after she turned her back on him when Klaus suddenly appeared in front of her. Cassandra hadn't been expecting his sudden movement and jumped backwards in surprise as a gasp escaped her lips. The small jump put her heels over the edge of the front step causing her to teeter backwards. Just as she thought she was about to fall, Klaus reached for her arms and pulled her forwards.

"Careful, love," Klaus murmured softly.

Cassandra waited for the adrenaline rush to subside and her heart rate to return to normal before speaking. When she realized Klaus still had a hold of her arms, she yanked them out of his grasp.

"Thanks," she mumbled.

"You're welcome," Klaus nodded at her. "Does that mean I'm forgiven?"

"Are you kidding me right now?" Cassandra stared at him dumbfounded. "You think just because you kept me from taking a disastrous fall that I'll forget about you calling my sister almost dying collateral damage?"

"I healed your sister. That's got to count for something, doesn't it?"

Cassandra couldn't deny it. "Okay, fine. Yes, it does count for something."

"There now. That wasn't so hard, was it?" Klaus grinned.

Cassandra was overwhelmed with the desire to throw something at him and glanced around the front porch, but she wasn't within reach of anything. Klaus seemed to read her mind.

"I'd just catch it," he told her smugly.

"Of course you would," she shook her head, annoyed that he had been able to read her intentions so easily.

"You're still welcome to try, love," he chuckled softly. "I just thought I'd save you the disappointment."

"You know you are just...so…"

"Gorgeous?" Klaus interrupted Cassandra with a grin.

Cassandra covered her face with her hands. "Ugh, you're never going to let that go are you?" she groaned.

"Never," he smirked.

"You suck," she grumbled. As soon as the words left her lips she realized the irony of her word choice and started laughing. "Yeah, I'm just going to stop talking now."

"Oh, please don't. I'm quite enjoying this."

Cassandra folded her arms across her chest, but kept her mouth firmly shut as she stared back at him. He saw it as a challenge.

"I suppose I'll just have to make you talk to me then," he murmured as he stepped closer to her. She raised her eyebrows as she continued to stare at him, daring him with her eyes to give it his best shot. When he smiled at her she saw a wicked sparkle in his eyes that made her suddenly wish she'd just given and continued talking to him, but now she had to see her choice to stay silent through to the end.

The next moment happened like a flash of lighting. One minute she was firmly standing on the front porch and the next thing she knew Klaus had tossed her over his shoulder and used his vampire speed to whoosh onto the roof of the house. A squeal had barely left Cassandra's lips when Klaus was setting her back down on her feet.

"Feel like talking now, love?" Klaus raised his eyebrows before spinning Cassandra around so that her back was to him, allowing her to take in her new surroundings.

"Woah," she murmured softly as she took in the view of the night sky and the surrounding houses from up high. In her whole twenty-two years she'd never been up on the roof until now.

"Ah, she speaks," Klaus chuckled which resulted in an elbow to the gut from Cassandra, though she was pretty certain it probably felt like nothing more than a poke from a finger. He lowered his lips down to her ear. "So does this mean I'm forgiven?"

His voice sent a chill through her body. She swallowed hard as she fought to remain composed with him being in such close proximity. She slowly started to nod her head, then realized she should probably use her voice instead. "Yes," she answered softly.

"What was that?" Klaus asked smugly. "I couldn't quite hear you."

Cassandra rolled her eyes and started to turn around to face him. In the process, her foot slipped off one of the roof shingles and she started to tip backwards. Klaus grabbed her by the waist and stabilized her.

"Thanks," she exhaled slowly as she fought to ignore the way his hands felt on her waist. She paused a beat before shifting her eyes onto his and spoke in a more audible voice. "Yes, you are forgiven. Happy now?"

"Quite," Klaus nodded.

"Right. Well, as much as I'm enjoying the view from up here, how about getting me back down to ground level before the neighbors think we're some sort of prowler."

"I could just compel them, you know."

"Klaus..." Cassandra was growing impatient.

"Alright, alright. You'll need to hold on to me," he told her.

Any other day and she wouldn't have minded, hell she would have reveled in being that close to him, but in that moment she was still annoyed with him for teasing her. Still, she wanted down from the roof so she listened and wrapped her arms around his neck. He tightened his arms around her waist and in one swift movement jumped from the roof back onto the pathway leading to the porch. Cassandra slowly lowered her arms and stepped out of Klaus's grasp.

"Thanks...again. I should, uh, probably head back inside." Cassandra motioned towards the house.

"Of course," Klaus nodded.

"Look I…I know I was mad before, but, all that aside, I am extremely grateful that you healed my sister. The thought of losing her…" Cassandra trailed off as a lump formed in her throat.

Klaus placed a hand on her arm. "You're welcome."

She smiled a genuine smile at him for the first time since his arrival at the house that night. With one final glance at him, she bid him goodnight and slowly walked up the porch steps to the front door. As she went inside to hunt down her sister and give her a giant hug she silently prayed she wouldn't be kept up that night by thoughts about what it felt like when Klaus had placed his hands on her waist or arms.


	8. The Last Goodbye

**Get your hankies ready. If you're familiar with the show and everything that happened in Season 3, then you know what's about to happen. It does tug at the heartstrings. I know I shed a few tears as I wrote it. Thank you to all of my steady reviewers. You are all awesome! Special thanks to the couple of people that I noticed first time reviews from on the last couple of chapters. Your kind words made me grin from ear to ear. Onward to the next chapter!**

* * *

 **Chapter 8 - The Last Goodbye**

The next morning, after eating breakfast together, Cassandra and Caroline decided they were overdue for some sister hang out time. They went for a hike along the trails in the woods, and afterwards grabbed lunch at the Mystic Grill.

"We need to do this more often," Caroline bumped Cassandra's shoulder gently as they walked up the front porch steps of their house.

"I couldn't agree more," Cassandra grinned at her.

When they went inside, Cassandra headed towards the living room to crash on the couch while Caroline set her purse down on the table in the foyer. As soon as the couch came into her view, Cassandra froze when she realized someone, but not just any someone, Tyler Lockwood, was seated there.

"Tyler?" gasped.

"What are you doing here?" Caroline walked over and stood beside her sister.

"I came to apologize," Tyler stood up.

"Apologize?" Caroline scoffed. "You bit me. I could have died. I think we're way past apologies, Tyler."

"That's the problem," Tyler walked over to where Cassandra and Caroline were standing. "Klaus told me to do it, and I said no. And then, it just happened anyway. Like it was completely out of my control. That's why I had your mom call him."

Tyler turned towards the kitchen as Bill Forbes came walking up to them in the living room.

"Dad?" Cassandra gasped in surprise.

"Daddy?" Caroline stared, stunned.

"Hi Cassandra. Caroline," Bill murmured with a smile.

"I thought since he can resist compulsion, maybe he could teach me to resist the sire bond," Tyler explained.

Caroline eyed her father. "Can you help him?"

"I'm going to try," he answered softly.

"Why?" Caroline asked.

"Because he made a mistake, and now he wants to make good. And I understand that," Bill moved to stand next to Tyler.

Cassandra turned to her sister. "Care, this is a good thing. A really good thing. If anyone can help him break it, dad can."

A smile slowly broke out onto Caroline's face. "Okay," she nodded. As they all started to move towards the front door Caroline suddenly pulled Cassandra back. "No. You can't come. I've been with him when he's turning, it's too dangerous for you, Cass."

"But—" Cassandra started to protest.

"I agree with Caroline, absolutely not," Bill nodded.

"Fine," Cassandra sighed in defeat. "Keep me posted on how it's going."

"You know I will," Caroline gave her a quick squeeze before leaving with Tyler and their dad.

When Cassandra found herself alone in the house, she quickly realized the last thing she wanted was to be by herself because all she could think about was what Tyler was going to endure during his transformations. What she needed was to be distracted from those thoughts. She tried to read some of her Nicholas Sparks book, but when she had to reread the same paragraph three times in a row she gave up and tossed the book onto her bed. Then she realized there was something she could do that would both pass the time and distract her somewhat—baking.

She went into the kitchen and started browsing around to see what she had to work with. As soon as her eyes landed on the ripened bananas resting in basket on the counter, she knew exactly what she wanted to make. She dashed to her room to grab her favorite banana bread recipe and went back into the kitchen to get to work.

An hour later, the delicious aroma of freshly baked banana bread radiated through the house as Cassandra placed the finished loaf on a wire rack to cool. She finished cleaning up the kitchen before allowing herself to enjoy a slice. As she sat at the kitchen table quietly munching away, she fought the urge to text Caroline to find out how Tyler was doing. She knew she had to be patient.

When Cassandra realized her thoughts had once again returned to Tyler and the current situation, she hissed at herself in frustration. "I've got to get out of here for a while," she pushed herself out of the chair. She pulled on a black jacket and grabbed her purse before heading out to her car. She decided to head to the Mystic Grill because at least she could be around other people even if she wasn't talking to anyone. Plus, odds were she'd see someone she knew, seeing as she lived in a small town.

It didn't take long to find a spot to park once she'd arrived at the bar/restaurant/café. Once she was inside, she grabbed an open seat at the bar and ordered one of the beers on tap. As the bartender placed her drink down in front of her, Klaus, who was sitting a few chairs down, smiled when he noticed her. He ended his phone call with his hybrid Daniel and picked up his glass of bourbon before moving over to the seat beside her.

"We really need to stop meeting like this, love," he murmured with a cheeky grin.

Cassandra's eyes widened as she swallowed the drink she'd just taken and turned to face him. "Klaus…hey." Her lips slowly curled into a smile. "If I didn't know any better I'd think you were stalking me."

"I can see why you'd think that, but I can assure you our being here at the same time is a mere coincidence," Klaus smiled back at her. "So what brings you here this afternoon?"

"Ah, well, I didn't want to be alone at the house right now. My dad came back to town. He's…" she paused, realizing she couldn't tell Klaus what Tyler was up to. She knew if he found out Tyler was trying to break the sire bond he'd kill her dad and anyone else who tried to help Tyler. "...helping Caroline with something and, after what he did to her last time he came to town, the thought of the two of them alone in the same room together makes me a little…okay a lot uneasy."

"I thought you seemed a little on edge," Klaus nodded. "I could help you with that, if you want."

"How exactly would you do that? With compulsion?"

Klaus laughed softly. "Well, that wasn't quite what I had in mind, though if that was what you wanted I would certainly oblige. I was thinking of something a bit more fun." He shifted his eyes towards game area where the pool tables were.

Cassandra followed his gaze and immediately started shaking her head. "Thanks, but no thanks. I learned my lesson after that disastrous game of beer pong we played. I might be slightly better when it comes to pool, but I know you'd still beat me anyway."

"Fair enough. I suppose I could use my charming, gorgeous looks to distract you then," his lips slowly curled into a smirk.

Cassandra momentarily covered her eyes and shook her head. "If there was ever a time where I'd wish I could compel _you_ to forget something I said, this would be it." She reached for her glass and took a big sip from it.

"Apologies, love. I couldn't resist."

"Of course you couldn't."

"You don't believe me?" Klaus raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Oh, I believe you," a soft chuckle escaped Cassandra's lips. "I'm just not sure I accept your apology."

Klaus placed a hand on his chest. "I'm hurt that you doubt my sincerity."

"Why should I accept your apology right now when we both know you'll just tease me again the next chance you get?" She challenged him, arching her eyebrows.

"Why does it bother you so much when I bring it up?" he challenged her back.

Cassandra went to open her mouth when she realized she didn't have an answer. She didn't know why it bugged her. She supposed it could have something to do with knowing what Caroline would say if she knew, or that she had made the slip before she was ready for him to know. Neither were answers she was willing to give, leaving her with only one other option.

"Fine, I accept your apology," she muttered taking another big sip from her glass. She kept her eyes on the bar counter.

"If it helps," Klaus reached out and placed his hand on top of hers once she'd set down her glass, effectively regaining her attention in the process. "I'm quite flattered to know you think this of me."

"Maybe a little," Cassandra finally flashed him a small smile. She could feel her hand growing warm under his, a good warm.

"Good," he murmured as he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. It made her heart flutter and she was certain he had noticed, especially when he made no attempt to remove his hand from on top of hers.

"So, how's—" Cassandra had been about to ask him about his efforts to get his family back from Stefan when the sight of her sister walking straight towards her stopped her short. She hastily pulled her hand away from Klaus and rested it on her lap. "Caroline! What are you doing here?"

"You weren't at the house so I figured you came here," Caroline answered as she took in the sight of Cassandra sitting next to Klaus. She folded her arms as she spoke to him. "Shouldn't you be out using your annoying hybrid sire bond on your hybrids? Oh wait, you can't because Stefan got you to make them leave town."

Cassandra saw an angry look flash on Klaus's face at her sister's words, but it disappeared almost as quickly. Ignoring Caroline he glanced back at Cassandra.

"Cassandra, it was nice to see you again," he paused and downed the rest of the bourbon left in his glass. "I've got to go take care of a few things. Until next time…"

Caroline waited until he had left the restaurant before turning back to Cassandra. "What are you doing? You promised me you'd stay away from him."

"I know, and I haven't broken it. I had no idea he would be here," Cassandra tried to explain. "I couldn't stand being at the house alone knowing what Tyler's going through, so I came here. He found me sitting here. Okay?"

"Fine. I believe you," Caroline nodded slowly.

"Why aren't you with dad and Tyler?"

"They both made me leave."

"Oh wow," Cassandra's eyes widened.

"Yeah. I'm not happy about it, but it's what Tyler wanted so I didn't put up a fight." Caroline couldn't completely hide the worry in her voice.

Cassandra gave her sister a reassuring smile. "He'll be okay. And hey…he's doing this for you. I'd say that pretty much proves how much he really loves you."

"Yeah, it does," Caroline cracked a small smile.

"You know what?" Cassandra suddenly had an idea. "I know what we're going to do for the rest of the day." She quickly finished the rest of her drink and tossed some cash on the countertop to pay for it. As they walked to their cars, Cassandra told Caroline about her idea.

"A rom com movie marathon sounds great," Caroline agreed. "As long as one of the movies is The Notebook."

"Duh!" Cassandra grinned

Once they got home Caroline went to pull a bunch of movies for the two of them to choose from while Cassandra went into the kitchen and popped some popcorn. She cut a few slices of the banana bread she had made earlier that day to go along with the popcorn. With everything on a tray she met back up with Caroline in the living room. Caroline had already tossed their favorite movie pillows and blankets onto the couch and was sticking the first movie into the dvd player.

"I thought later we could order a pizza and get all the toppings we love that mom hates," Caroline grinned as they both settled down onto the couch.

"Oh absolutely!" Cassandra nodded enthusiastically.

They spent the rest of the of the afternoon and evening laughing and crying over their favorite sappy movies. It was just what they needed to pass the time and push thoughts of their father and his helping Tyler a little farther back in their minds so they weren't at the forefront.

* * *

Old Lockwood Family Cellar

Tyler rolled around on the floor, yelling and moaning in pain as his bones continued to break while he turned. He was getting closer, growing stronger. He pushed himself back onto his knees and started yanking on the steel chains clasped around his wrists, demonstrating his increased strength until he had one chain free from the wall.

"Oh my god!" Bill gasped in horror as Tyler gave another huge tug and freed the other chain.

"These chains aren't strong enough. You need to leave," Tyler growled a warning at him. "Run!"

Bill took one last glance at Tyler's glowing yellow eyes and protruding werewolf fangs and darted for the cellar door. Tyler tugged at the final chain stuck to the floor and pulled it out as he completed his transformation. His wolf form sprinted after Bill and jumped on him from behind, his snarling and growls drowning out the man's screams.

* * *

The Next Morning

"Cass, wake up!" Caroline shook her sister's shoulder gently. They had fallen asleep on the couch during one of the movies they were watching the night before.

"Ugh, what is it Care?" Cassandra groaned as she slowly blinked her eyes open.

"I just got off the phone with Elena who learned from Ric's new friend Dr. Fell that daddy's in the hospital," Caroline spoke quickly.

"Wait…what?" Cassandra sat up. "What happened?"

"According to Dr. Fell it was an animal attack."

"Oh my god…Tyler…"

"Yeah, he won't answer the phone when I call." Caroline nodded slowly. "Daddy's going to be fine. Dr. Fell used Damon's blood to save him. I'm not sure how she was able to get his blood though."

"Oh, thank god." Cassandra sighed in relief. "Does mom know?"

"Not yet. I thought we'd leave that to him. We need to go pick him up."

"Okay," Cassandra crawled off the couch to her feet. "You realize he's going to be a pain to deal with, right? Because of the vampire blood."

Caroline sighed as they walked down the hall towards their rooms. "Yeah, I know. We'll deal with it."

They quickly got dressed and ate a quick breakfast before climbing into Caroline's car to head to the hospital. On the way over Caroline told Cassandra about how Elena wanted them to check out the good doctor for her. The town had a murderer in its midst and with the doctor's new interest in Alaric, Elena wanted to get their opinion on Dr. Fell and make sure she wasn't a psycho killer.

After they found a place to park they quickly made their way inside the hospital. They stopped at a nurse's station and waited while Dr. Fell was paged. A few minutes later the brunette doctor walked up to the two sisters.

"Are you Caroline?" she asked in a warm and friendly voice.

"Yes. Dr. Fell, Hi. This is my sister Cassandra. Elena told us you helped out our dad," she replied softly.

"I did," Dr. Fell nodded. "Do you think you can get him to be a little more grateful? He spent half the night threatening to get my medical license revoked for saving his life."

"Yeah, our dad's a little set in his ways," Cassandra sighed apologetically.

"He spent his whole life hating vampires, so…" Caroline added in a hushed voice.

"So he's not psyched about it being vampire blood that healed him. Yeah, he made that clear," Dr. Fell started to chuckle and caught herself. "I'm sorry. My bedside manner sucks on no sleep."

Dr. Fell started to walk away, thinking the conversation was over, but Caroline and Cassandra quickly followed after her.

"So, can we take him home?" Caroline asked.

Dr. Fell turned back around. "I signed his discharge papers late last night just to shut him up."

"Oh, I—he didn't call or anything," Caroline murmured. "

"That's gotta be hard," Dr. Fell looked sideways at Caroline as things began clicking in her head and a tiny smile appeared on her face. "When your dad hates the one thing you can't change about yourself. I make it my business to know who the vampires are in this town. Medical curiosity, I don't blab."

"Good to know," Cassandra smiled.

Caroline nodded. "Yeah. Our dad...we've had our ups and downs."

"Tell your dad I said 'you're welcome'." Dr. Fell politely smiled at them before walking off.

"Thanks," both sisters muttered softly.

"Well that was…interesting," Cassandra shook her head as they stared walking back the way they had come in. "At least you'll be able to give good news to Elena. That doctor seems perfectly nice, a little intense, but not psychotic or anything."

Caroline pulled out her phone and called their dad. "Yeah, she'll be relieved."

"I think it's sweet that she—"

Caroline suddenly shushed her. "Shhh. I hear it."

"Hear what?" Cassandra blinked, confused. She couldn't hear anything.

"Dad's phone."

Cassandra followed Caroline down another hall. They stopped in front of a door labeled _Medical Supply Room_. Caroline slowly pushed down on the handle and opened the door. Now Cassandra could hear the sonar ringtone from their dad's phone loud and clear. She followed Caroline as they made their way past shelves of supplies until they reached the back of the room. A loud gasp left Caroline's lips as her eyes landed on their father's dead body sitting upright on the floor against a shelf with a knife sticking out of his chest.

"Oh my god!" Cassandra stared in horror as Caroline rushed over to their dad and dropped to her knees beside him.

"Dad! Dad?" Caroline cried in a panic. "Don't be dead! Don't be dead! Don't be dead! Oh my god!"

She reached for the knife handle and pulled it out of his chest. As she threw it on the floor, the sight of the blood on the knife triggered something in Cassandra's memory.

"Care, he has vampire blood in his system."

"What?" Caroline gasped right as their father suddenly opened his eyes. Caroline's eyes widened in surprise. "Oh daddy! Thank god!"

Bill looked at his daughters and then down at his bloody shirt. When he saw the knife he realized what had happened. "That good for nothing doctor!" he hissed softly.

Together Cassandra and Caroline helped him to his feet. Using her vampire speed Caroline whooshed their father to the first empty hospital room she came across, then she doubled back for Cassandra.

"Wait," Cassandra stopped Caroline from opening the door to the hospital room. "Stay with him. I'm calling mom. She needs to know what's going on now."

"Okay," Caroline nodded.

Cassandra turned around and went back to the supply room to make the phone call in private. After a quick conversation with her mom she headed back to the hospital room where Caroline and their dad were.

"I called mom," she told them after she'd entered and shut the door behind her. "She'll meet us at home."

"Okay. Good," Caroline nodded.

Cassandra turned to their dad who was squinting at the bright light coming from the open window blinds. "Dad, did you see your attacker?"

"I didn't see anything," Bill turned towards Cassandra. "Tried to sneak out the back exit and someone came up from behind."

"Look, we'll figure this out, but in the meantime, we need to get you some blood," Caroline told him impatiently.

"I'm not going to drink any blood," he told both his daughters calmly.

"You have to," Caroline insisted. "You died with vampire blood in your system. If you don't feed and finish the transition into a vampire you'll die."

He looked at them with a sadness in his eyes. "I understand how it works. And that's what I'm prepared to do. Now get me out of this hospital. I smell blood everywhere."

They silently lead their father out of the hospital and to Caroline's car. The drive home was just as quiet. Cassandra still couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that she was about to lose her father forever. It felt like a bad dream she couldn't wake up from.

As they pulled up to the house she noticed their mother's police cruiser in the driveway. They wordlessly walked up to the front door and went inside. Elizabeth rose from the couch to greet them.

"Girls, I'd like to speak to your father alone if that's okay," she told them softly.

Cassandra and Caroline both nodded and went back outside to sit on the front porch. Neither of them said anything for a little while. Cassandra knew her sister had to be angry, upset, maybe even a little denial over the fact that their father chose not to complete his transition. She couldn't blame her sister for feeling that way, but she understood it was her father's choice to make and no one else's even if that choice felt like a knife was being wrenched into her heart.

"I can't just let our father die," Caroline spoke suddenly. "You know, I'm gonna…I'm gonna force him to feed."

"Hey…he doesn't want to, Caroline," Cassandra murmured softly as she swallowed the lump that began to form in her throat. "The only thing dad has is his choice."

Caroline shook her head as her eyes welled with tears. "I hated him so much for what he did to me. So much. Now all I want to do is save his life."

"I know," Cassandra felt her own eyes stinging with tears. She wrapped her arms around Caroline. "I don't want him to die either, but it's what he wants and we have to respect it."

Both sisters held each other as tears began to fall down their cheeks. When a familiar truck pulled up to the house they looked up as Matt and Elena climbed out and came walking up to them.

"Hey," Matt murmured softly. "Your mom let us know what was going on. Thought you could use the company.

"Hey," Caroline was glad to see him. She slowly stood up and walked up to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck. As he tightly held her, Elena walked over and sat down next to Cassandra.

"Hey," she wrapped an arm around Cassandra's shoulders.

"Hey," Cassandra whispered back. She could feel a sob rising in her chest and choked it back. "Thanks for coming over."

"Of course. You and Caroline are like family to me. There's no way I'd not be here for you guys right now."

Cassandra stared at her sister and Matt for a moment before turning back to Elena. "What was the hardest part for you when you lost your dad?"

"Realizing all the things that he wouldn't be there for," Elena told her. "The things that…that you just need your dad for, you know?"

Cassandra nodded slowly. "He won't be there to walk me down the aisle when I get married someday, when I have kids of my own…" She closed her eyes and more tears streamed down her cheeks. She felt another arm wrap around her and looked up to see Caroline sitting on her other side with Matt. They stayed that way for a while. There was no need to say anything more.

Eventually Matt and Elena left so Cassandra and Caroline could spend their last precious moments with their dad. When they went inside, Cassandra saw their mom sitting alone on the couch and went to sit with her while Caroline went to find their dad. Cassandra wordlessly wrapped her arms around her mom. Elizabeth hugged her back and they stayed that way until the sound of Caroline's loud cry drew them back to their feet. They walked down the hall and stopped in the doorway of Caroline's room, watching and listening as Bill held Caroline's face in his hands and spoke to her.

"No, no, no, sweetheart, I don't hate you. I love you. You're strong. You're beautiful. You're good. And even after everything that has happened to you, you are exactly who your mother and I hoped you'd grow up to be," he paused and turned toward Cassandra. "Both of you are. I couldn't be prouder of both of you and the women you've grown up to be."

"Please don't leave me, daddy," Caroline looked him in the eyes, sobbing. "Please, please don't leave me. Daddy, just don't leave me."

Cassandra couldn't stand it any longer and ran over to her father and sister as her own sobs bubbled up from her chest. Bill wrapped his arms around both of his daughters and held them against his chest.

"Shh," he rocked them slowly as his hands stroked the backs of their blonde heads. "Parents aren't supposed to outlive their children. Cassandra, Caroline, it's okay. You're going to be okay."

As they continued to cry in his arms he kissed the top of their heads and stole a glance at Elizabeth, who had tears in her eyes. It was a silent goodbye. "This is life. This is what it means to be human."

Cassandra and Caroline stayed in their father's arms until he no longer had the strength to stand, then helped him over to Caroline's bed where he laid down. Cassandra sat on the far side of the bed holding one of his hands while Caroline held the other as he took his final breath. Cassandra brought his hand to her cheek and held it there for a long moment before kissing his palm and placing it gently on top of his chest. With one last look at her father's peaceful body, she rose to her feet and left the room. She went into the kitchen and opened the lower cupboard where they kept wine and liquor. She grabbed a shot glass and a bottle of vodka. She filled up the tiny one-ounce glass and picked it up.

"This is for you, daddy," Cassandra whispered before bringing the shot glass up to her lips and throwing her head back as she swallowed the liquid in one big gulp.

"Pour me one," Caroline had suddenly appeared in the kitchen and began walking towards her.

Cassandra nodded and grabbed another shot glass out of the cupboard, making sure to fill it before handing it to her sister. She refilled her own glass and held it up. She shared a sad glance with Caroline, who nodded, and they downed the shots at the same time. With the smallest of smiles, Caroline grabbed the bottle and Cassandra's hand and together they went into the living room. They sat in silence, taking turns sipping straight from the bottle, until Cassandra decided to share a funny memory she had of their father that had suddenly popped into her head. It sparked a soft wave of laughter between the sisters. They continued to share memories they had, unaware that Elizabeth was silently listening in as her eyes sparkled with tears, until sleep finally overtook them.

* * *

 **I know that was a somber note to end a chapter on. I promise the next chapter will more than make up for it. It's the big one. That's right...the BALL! Expect it sometime between Wednesday and Friday (because my eagerness to post it will not allow me to wait any longer than that. :) Thanks again for reading!**


	9. Cinderella at the Ball

**It's here! I know you guys have been anxiously awaiting for the big Mikaelson Ball and I'm happy to say you have to wait no longer! I had so much fun with this and am so excited to share it with all of you. As always, thank you to my reviewers, you know who you are. And thank you for taking the time to read this. Now grab your fancy dresses, your satin gloves, your dance partner, and let's go drink champagne and dance at the ball!**

* * *

 **Chapter 9 - Cinderella at the Ball**

The Next Day

A young, platinum blonde woman sat on a luxurious, black leather couch as a dark haired assistant finished applying a final coat of nail polish to the blonde's fingernails. Next to the couch, an older man with sandy brown hair wearing a white dress shirt and tuxedo pants stood while a balding man wearing glasses was fixing the length of the standing man's pants. Beside him, a third man with dark brown hair was polishing a pair of black oxford shoes. Across the room a young man with short brown hair, a year or two older than the blonde woman, stood in front of a floor length mirror admiring himself in a black tuxedo, while a tailor kneeled behind him making final adjustments to the suit.

"Rebekah," The young man addressed the blonde woman as he buttoned his tuxedo jacket. "Tell me how handsome I am."

"Ah Kol, you know I can't be compelled," Rebekah Mikaelson had been admiring her freshly manicured nails and glanced up at her brother's reflection.

The door to the room burst open and the Original Hybrid stormed in, marching straight up to Rebekah. "You went after Elena? What is wrong with you?" He snapped at her.

"Here we go," Rebekah all but rolled her eyes as she leaned back into the couch and waited for the lecture she knew her older brother was going to give her to begin.

"Do you want another dagger in your heart?" Klaus spoke in a low tone.

"Again with the dagger threats?" Kol shook his head as he sat down in a chair near the couch. "Don't you have any other tricks?"

Klaus looked over his shoulder at his younger brother. "Oh, go back to staring at yourself."

"And who are you, my father?" Kol challenged as Klaus started to turn his head back towards Rebekah.

"No, Kol," he turned and started to walk over to Kol, who stood when he approached. "But you're in _my_ house."

"Then perhaps we should go outside," Kol stepped forward, getting in Klaus's face.

The two brothers had an intense stare down. Klaus gave a slight shake of his head as he glared at Kol. He was on the verge of throwing his younger brother across the room when a much older, more assertive, blonde woman walked into the room to break up the argument. Her name was Esther, and she was their mother, the Original Witch.

"Enough!" she ordered in a loud, commanding voice. She paused before speaking in a more normal voice. "Niklaus, come."

Klaus glared at Kol one last time before following Esther out of the room and into another room down the hall.

"Rebekah wasn't even out of her box a day before she tried to ruin my life. What happened to peace, acceptance, family?" he asked his mother who stood with her back to him.

She turned around to face him. "You put daggers in their hearts. You want them to go down on their knees and kiss your feet for reuniting them?"

"So it's a crime to want our family to be as we were?"

"You need to give it time, Niklaus. I've had a thousand years on the other side to be angry and to heal. I'm here to make sure this family does the same."

"I just don't understand," he shook his head. "I killed you, and still you forgive me."

Esther slowly walked up to him. "It's been my dream for a thousand years that this family could be as one. Forgiveness is not a chore. It's a gift. Now, who are you bringing to the ball this evening?" Esther's face relaxed into a smile.

Klaus rolled his eyes as a sigh left his lips. "Don't be ridiculous. You're lucky I'm even going."

"Well, I wish you would reconsider," she paused and smiled again. "It's going to be a magical evening."

A face flashed in Klaus's mind. "Hmmm, perhaps there is someone," his lips slowly curled into a smile.

* * *

Cassandra put her hands on her hips as she came to a stop in front of the house. She'd just finished a morning jog, refusing to lie around the house being all depressed and mopey, and sucked in air as she slowly walked up the front porch stairs to the front door. She walked inside and headed straight into the kitchen to fill up a big glass with water. As she was gulping it down, she heard the beep of a phone receiving a new voicemail and walked out of the kitchen just as Caroline was reaching for it on the little table in the foyer.

From the expression on her sister's face, Cassandra had a feeling the message was from Tyler. She waited patiently for Caroline to finish listening to it so she could get all the gushy details. As Caroline moved her phone away from her ear after she was done, there was a light knock on the front door.

"I'll get it," Cassandra set her glass down and walked to the door. She opened it expecting to see a person standing there and was surprised to find no one present. Instead, her attention was drawn to the ground where a huge plum-purple colored box with a creamy white ribbon and bow had been left. An envelope rested on top of the box with her name printed on it in fancy lettering. She reached down to pick up the box and brought it inside.

"What's that?" Caroline eyed the fancy box as Cassandra walked past her.

"I don't know, but it's addressed to me," Cassandra answered as she carried it to her room with Caroline in tow. She set the box down on her bed and picked up the envelope with her name on it. She flipped it over and broke the fancy wax seal. She carefully pulled back the envelope flaps and found a fancy card inside. She lifted it up read it out loud as Caroline peered over her shoulder. "Please join the Mikaelson Family, this evening at seven o'clock, for dancing, cocktails, and celebration."

"Who in the world are the Mikaelsons?" Caroline asked.

"I don't—" Cassandra had been about to answer as she flipped the card over to see if there was anything on the back of it and stopped abruptly when she saw the handwritten note. _Save me a dance. Fondly, Klaus._ "Oh."

Caroline's eyes bugged out when she saw Klaus's name on the back. "Oh you have got to be kidding me! The Mikaelsons are Klaus's family? Unbelievable!"

Cassandra ignored her sister's outburst as she set the card down on the bed and lifted the lid on the box. A rush of air left her lungs as she stared down at the gorgeous blue and white mesh ball gown with sparkling silver accents on the bodice.

"Oh wow," she gasped softly as she ran her fingertips over the fabric.

Caroline took one look at the dress and slammed the lid back on the box. "No! No, no, no! Don't even think about it, Cassandra."

"Caroline, what the hell!" Cassandra had barely been able to pull her hand out of the box before her sister put the lid back on it.

"You aren't going. I won't allow it. It's way too dangerous."

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me," Caroline put her hands on her hips.

"Yeah, I heard what you said, it's the part where you think you can control me that I'm not following," Cassandra walked around her sister and went to her closet to get a hanger for the gown. She carefully lifted the gown out and secured it to the hanger before hooking it on the back of her closet door.

"Cass, you can't seriously be considering this," Caroline whined in protest as Cassandra walked back over to the bed to see what else was in the box. A long, black velvet box caught her eye. She reached in and lifted it out.

"Actually, I can," she replied as she opened the velvet box. Inside was a stunning heart-chain diamond bracelet. She'd never seen such a beautiful piece of jewelry in her life! "Oh my...oh my god! I think these are real diamonds."

"Perfect," Caroline groaned.

"You know what?" Cassandra snapped the box shut and stared at her younger sister. "Last I checked I'm an adult and therefore entitled to making my own decisions and forming my own opinions. You don't have to like them or agree with them, but you _do_ have to respect them. Now, I _am_ going to go to this ball tonight, but it's not because of the beautiful gifts from Klaus. I'm going because _it's what I want to do._ "

"Cass, please!"

"My mind is made up, Caroline."

"Fine!" Caroline threw her hands up in the air in defeat and stormed off.

Cassandra hated fighting with her sister, but she didn't regret any of the things she said. She meant every single word. With a sigh she pushed all thoughts of the argument they'd just had out of her head and focused on the ball. She was thrilled to have something good to keep her mind off her grief over losing her father.

She set the velvet box containing the diamond bracelet on the bed and pulled out the remaining items in the big box: a pair of white satin gloves and a silvery white shawl. She shook her head as she tried to wrap her mind around the idea that these beautiful gifts had come from Klaus. With excitement bubbling in her stomach, she hurried off to take a shower and wash her hair.

The rest of the day seemed to pass at an agonizing slow rate. Cassandra tried to distract herself by reading, but she couldn't concentrate, so instead she put one of her favorite movies on in the living room and relaxed on the couch.

By the time five o'clock rolled around, Cassandra was in front of the mirror in the bathroom curling her hair into ringlets that she would then pin to her head in an up-do of sorts. She left a few select strands to dangle by her face. She did her makeup next. When she was done, she stared at her reflection in the mirror a moment. Satisfied with how her hair and face looked, she scurried back to her room and eagerly changed into the ball gown. She had never felt more glamorous as she slipped the white satin gloves on and fastened the diamond bracelet around her wrist. _So this is what all the movie stars must feel like when they're glamming it up for a big red carpet appearance. A girl could really get used to this,_ she smiled to herself as she grabbed the small white clutch she'd found in her closet to bring and made sure it had the essentials in it. Finally ready to go, she grabbed the shawl off of her bed and headed out to her car.

Cassandra eyes nearly popped out of her head when she pulled up to the Mikaelson Mansion. She had thought Tyler's house was huge, but it paled in comparison. She was amazed at the amount of cars already on the grounds considering it was just a little past seven o'clock. She supposed most of the important people in town had been invited. After she'd parked her car, she carefully got out and wrapped the shawl around her shoulders before grabbing her little clutch purse and made her way towards the front doors.

As she passed through the double doors, which had been opened by two doormen, and handed her shawl and clutch off to a woman assigned to receive them, her gaze bounced around the giant hall as she took in her surroundings. The huge columns, the art on the walls, the twinkle lights wrapped around the two giant winding staircases leading up to the second floor, everything left her in awe.

She casually made her way through the sea of people, searching for Klaus or anyone else familiar. She spotted Tyler's mom across the room and started to head towards her. She had only taken a few steps when her path was blocked. She glanced up to see who'd gotten in her way and let out an annoyed sigh.

"Damon. What do you want?" she flattened her hands against her sides.

"What are you doing here, Cassandra?" Damon narrowed his eyes at her.

"I was invited."

"Invited? By who?"

"By Klaus."

""What?" Damon hissed in surprise. "And you sister let you come?"

Cassandra folded her gloved arms across her chest. "No, Damon. She didn't _let me_ do anything. It was my choice."

"I'm betting that didn't go over very well," Damon was quick to point that detail out.

"No, it didn't. I'll make it up to her tomorrow. Now, if you'll excuse me…" she gave him a polite nod and slipped past him before he could continue to detain her. After she had put a few yards distance between herself and Damon, she glanced back and let out a breath when she saw him talking to Mayor Lockwood and another younger looking guy. With a smile on her lips, Cassandra faced forward and continued to weave her way through the crowd.

A moment later her breath caught in her throat as her eyes finally landed on Klaus. He looked like a prince from a fairytale in his tuxedo. She especially liked his choice of a white bow tie instead of the traditional black. He was standing at a small table talking to a woman who was laughing at whatever he'd just said to her. She felt a flash of jealousy rush through her, but it left almost as quickly as it had appeared. When he turned his head and noticed her, he did a double take before meeting her eyes. She smiled at him as she began walking towards him. _This must be what Cinderella felt like when she met Prince Charming at the ball,_ her heart raced as her eyes remained fixed on Klaus. All thoughts of the woman he had been chatting with were quickly forgotten as he met Cassandra halfway.

"Good evening," Klaus murmured with a smile.

"Good evening," Cassandra smiled back.

Klaus was about to speak again when a dark haired man approached him and whispered something to him. He nodded and turned back to Cassandra. "Forgive me, Cassandra. I am needed by my family for the welcome announcement," he paused and snagged two glasses of champagne from a waiter passing by and handed a glass to her. "I'll be right back."

Cassandra nodded as she took the glass from him and watched as he followed the dark haired man up one of the two large staircases. As four other people took spots with them, she realized they must be Klaus's family. _So which one is Elijah?_ She wondered.

"Uh, if everyone could gather, please," the dark haired man who had approached Klaus spoke to the crowd from the stairs. He continued speaking once he had everyone's full attention. "You know, whenever my mother brings our family together like this, it's tradition for us to commence the evening with a dance."

 _Ah, he's got to be Elijah,_ Cassandra decided after he started speaking, remembering what Caroline and Elena had once told her about the original and how eloquent of a speaker he was.

"Tonight's pick is a centuries-old waltz," Elijah continued. "So if all of you could please find yourselves a partner, please join us in the ballroom."

 _A WALTZ?_ Cassandra's eyes widened as her mind raced. She hadn't danced a waltz in over five years and was certain she couldn't remember any of the steps. As Klaus came walking towards her, she slapped a smile on her face.

"May I have this dance?" He held a hand out to her.

"Sure," Cassandra nodded and placed her gloved hand in his, allowing him to lead her to the ballroom. "You should know…it's been a long time since I've danced a waltz. I'm not sure I remember how to do it."

"Don't worry, love," he murmured in her ear as they took a spot in one of two lines and got into the starting position side by side. "You'll be just fine. I guarantee it."

She nodded slowly as the music started and followed his lead. As they started to walk towards the middle of the dance floor to pass by the other line of paired dancers, her eyes landed on the pair facing them.

"Stefan," she whispered, tensing up at the sight of him. Stefan turned his gaze onto her face at the sound of his name. Cassandra barely made eye contact with him before refocusing her eyes straight ahead.

"What's the matter?" Klaus asked as they turned ninety degrees, having sensed the change in her demeanor.

"It's uh," she paused as Klaus spun her around to face him. She placed her left hand onto his shoulder while his right hand rested on the small of her back. "The last time I saw Stefan he nearly killed me."

Klaus stared back at her with a frown. "What? When was this?"

"Senior Prank Night. According to Damon, you had compelled Stefan to turn off his humanity. I guess I was what you would call collateral damage."

"Ah, I suppose that's true."

"Yeah. Anyway, I just…I guess I'm still a little scared of him," Cassandra sighed softly.

"Don't worry, love. I'll protect you," he smiled.

Cassandra smiled back. They both grew silent for a moment as they floated around the dance floor in time with the music.

"I'm glad you came," Klaus gazed at her.

"Me too," Cassandra nodded. "I'm grateful to get away from all the sympathy casseroles back at the house,"

"I heard about your father," Klaus's face softened. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Thank you." Cassandra paused and took a deep breath. "Can we talk about something else...anything else. I don't want to start crying."

"Very well. On to more mannered subjects then, like how ravishing you look in that dress," he took a moment to look her up and down.

Cassandra felt heat begin to rise in her cheeks. "Thank you. You look…" she paused, searching for the right word.

"Gorgeous?" Klaus smirked.

Cassandra shook her head laughing. "Well, I was trying to think of a more elegant word, but…yes, gorgeous would also be accurate. I should have known you'd find a way to bring _that_ up again."

"It served its purpose," he told her. She stared at him questioningly. "It made you laugh."

"Oh. Yeah, it did."

"You know, for having not danced a waltz in a long time, you're quite good at it."

Cassandra blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Really," he nodded.

"I guess I have a good partner leading me," she grinned.

They came to a stop a moment later. Cassandra braced herself as Klaus removed his hand from her waist and took her other hand to spin her around and release her to her next dance partner. Cassandra spun around the way she was supposed to and found herself landing in the arms of her sister's ex-boyfriend, Matt.

"Hey," she smiled as they started moving with the music.

"Hey yourself," Matt smiled. "I didn't know you'd be here."

"I could say the same thing about you," she chucked lightly. "So, did my sister chew you out for getting an invitation from an original vampire too?"

"I actually haven't talked to her. Why? Did she say something to you?"

"About you? No," Cassandra shook her head. "But she was pretty upset about my being here with Klaus."

"Why the hell are you here with him?" Matt frowned.

"Oh no," Cassandra groaned. "Not you too. Please Matt…can we just not go there right now. I'm really enjoying this dance, and I'd hate to ruin it with a stupid argument."

"Okay, but this isn't over. I know I'm not dating your sister anymore, but that doesn't mean I have to stop looking out for either of you," he spoke adamantly.

"I know," she half-smiled.

A few yards away Damon was currently dancing with Klaus's sister Rebekah who kept shooting daggers at Cassandra with her eyes.

"Stop staring. It's creepy," Damon murmured as they danced.

"Of course she looks beautiful," Rebekah sighed, annoyed. "Nik gave her everything she's wearing."

"You're no dog yourself," he smiled.

Rebekah continued watching Cassandra and Matt dancing together. "Was that supposed to be a complement?" she finally shifted her eyes back to Damon.

Damon chuckled lightly. "You tried to kill Elena last night. You don't get complements."

"Caveman," Rebekah taunted him.

When the dance finally ended Cassandra thanked Matt and headed over to where the refreshments were. She sipped on champagne and munched on hors d'oeuvres, then decided to go outside and get some fresh air. She retrieved her shawl and wrapped it around her shoulders as she walked through the double doors. The cool outside air tickled her skin as she made her way down the brick walkway. She was looking around at all the twinkling lights when the sound of a horse whinnying caught her attention. Her eyes widened and a smile grew on her lips when she saw a stunning horse and carriage a few yards ahead. She cautiously approached the majestic animal and extended a gloved hand out toward its muzzle. The horse slowly raised its head and pressed its snout into her hand. She murmured softly to the horse as she stroked its head.

"You like horses?" Klaus suddenly spoke from behind her.

"I do," she smiled as he walked up to stand beside her. "Caroline and I used to go riding all the time during the summer when we were kids. Then she discovered boys and I lost my riding buddy. It wasn't the same riding alone, so I stopped going."

"Now, that's a shame. Horses are remarkable creatures. You know, they're the opposite of people," Klaus admired the horse beside them. "They're loyal. My father hunted me for a thousand years and the closest he ever came was the day he killed my favorite horse. He severed its neck with a sword as a warning."

"Oh my god. That's horrible!" Cassandra clapped a hand over her mouth. "No wonder you were so happy he was dead. I thought what my father did to Caroline was pretty bad, but he was coming from a place of love at the end the day. Your father was just plain cruel. It must feel pretty incredible to be free from that now."

Klaus turned to face her again. "Almost as incredible as dancing with you was tonight."

Cassandra stopped petting the horse and tightened her grip on her shawl. "I still don't know how I got through that without stepping on your toes."

"I told you, you're a natural."

"Yes, you did say that," she nodded, smiling. "Hey, can I ask you a question?"

"Of course, love. Ask away."

"Why me? I-I mean, why did you invite me here? You could have asked anyone and you chose me. I'm grateful, don't get me wrong, I just…wondered why."

Klaus chuckled softly. "I should think that was obvious." When Cassandra stared at him with a blank expression he continued on. "I fancy you. Is that so hard to believe?"

Cassandra blinked in surprise. "You do?"

"Yes. You're beautiful, you're strong, you're full of light. I enjoy you."

"Wow. I…wow," she didn't know what to say, though she figured her fluttering heart said plenty. The look on Klaus's face confirmed it.

"While I am thoroughly enjoying this, we should probably head back inside. My mother will be giving a toast soon and she'll want everyone present," He offered Cassandra his arm which she took, and together they walked back inside. She was silently grateful for the reprieve from their conversation. The soft hum of people conversing was surprisingly calming while they stood around near the giant staircases waiting for Klaus's mother to give the toast. A waiter carrying a tray of champagne flutes stopped beside them. Klaus reached for two glasses and handed one to Cassandra.

"Thanks," she murmured. "Wow, that is…very pink."

"My mother's idea," Klaus chuckled softly as the sound of crystal ringing caused a hush to fall over the room.

"Good Evening, Ladies and Gentlemen," Esther began. "Waiters are coming around with champagne. I invite you all to join me in raising a glass. It provides me with no greater joy than to see my family back together as one. I'd like to thank you all for being part of this spectacular evening. Cheers!"

Cassandra shared a smile with Klaus before bringing her glass to her lips to take a sip of the pink champagne. She watched as the people around her did the same. Her eyes landed on Elena standing across the room next to a man she now knew to be Klaus's older brother Elijah. Elena seemed to hesitate for the smallest second before taking a sip from her glass, which struck Cassandra as odd, but she quickly brushed it off and turned her attention back to the man in front of her.

"You know what?" Klaus took Cassandra's glass and set it along with his on an empty tray a waiter was passing by with. Then he held a hand out to her. "Come with me. I want to show you something."

"Okay," Cassandra slowly placed her hand in his and allowed him to lead her away.

She had a hard time focusing on anything other than their joined hands as they carefully made their way up the far staircase. When they got to the second floor he led her down the hall and into a luxurious parlor room. They walked through the room to the far side which had two French doors propped all the way open.

"What did you want to show me?" Cassandra asked curiously as they waked into a new room with brick walls and chandeliers hanging from the ceiling.

"One of my passions," Klaus grinned as they came to a stop in front of a giant marble table against the back wall below a giant, beautiful painting. Cassandra broke out in a wide grin as her eyes darted all around the room, realizing what he was showing her.

"Oh wow, how beautiful!" she stared in amazement. Bringing her eyes back to the painting they stood in front of she admired it for a moment. "I take it the curators at the Louvre aren't on vervain."

Klaus chuckled softly. "Yeah, well that's their mistake."

"Oh, of course," Cassandra shook her head, laughing softly. A sparkle from her bracelet caught her eye. She started down at her wrist for a moment, pondering a thought, before holding out her wrist to Klaus. "What about these? Who'd you compel to get this from?"

"Well, that's a long story, but rest assured it was worn by a princess almost as beautiful as you," he murmured softly.

"Is that so?" she smiled at him. "Well perhaps one day you'll be willing to tell me that long story."

"Perhaps," he smiled back at her. Cassandra felt herself starting to melt as she gazed into his eyes and shyly pulled her gaze onto the table in front of them. The table was covered with drawings and sketches. She carefully picked up a beautiful drawing of a woman's face.

"Wait a second," she looked from the drawing to Klaus. "Did…did you do these?"

"Yeah," he answered slowly, the slightest twinge of pink appearing on his cheeks. "Um, actually one of my landscapes is hanging at the Hermitage, not that anyone would notice. Have you been?'

Cassandra carefully laid the drawing back onto the table before turning toward him. "The only place outside the state of Virginia that I've been to is New York."

"I'll take you," Klaus offered. Cassandra stared at him and realized he was dead serious. "Rome. Paris. Tokyo?"

Cassandra burst into a fit of giggles after he named the third city. "Oh wow! You really know how to sweet talk a girl, don't you?" He laughed along with her until the moment had subsided. "It must be really nice to be able to go anywhere you want in the world without having to worry about travel necessities and expenses."

"It is," Klaus nodded as he stepped closer to her. "One of the things I've learned over my centuries of travel is that the most beautiful places can become even more beautiful when you have the right people to share them with."

"I can believe that," Cassandra agreed.

She'd been about to say something else, but quickly lost her train of thought when Klaus began to run a hand gently up the side of her arm and delicately brushed aside the ringlets she had cascading down the side of her face as his thumb stroked her cheek.

"Klaus...I—" she paused abruptly when she realized how shaky her voice had sounded and took a deep breath to calm her sudden rush of nerves. "A-about what you said when we were outside…there's a very good chance that I might fancy you, too."

A smile tugged at Klaus's lips when she used the same word he'd used. His eyes shifted from Cassandra's onto her lips, then reconnected with her gaze. She could feel her heart pounding rapidly inside her chest as he began to lean in towards her. Just as their lips were about to touch, the laughter from a small group of people walking past the parlor room jolted the both of them out of the moment.

"I...um…" Cassandra stammered, "I-I need some air."

She turned around and scurried out of the room before Klaus could protest. She knew he could have easily stopped her and was grateful when he didn't. She carefully made her way down the long staircase and worked her way through the sea of people until she had finally made it through the double doors leading outside. She let out a breath as the cool night air met her face. She couldn't quite believe she'd just ran away from Klaus after their almost kiss. She supposed her nerves had gotten the best of her.

As Cassandra walked underneath the archway she rubbed her gloved hands up and down her arms, regretting not grabbing her shawl before coming outside. All of a sudden, she heard the faint moan of someone in pain from somewhere above her. She had barely started to turn around so she could look up when the force of something as hard as metal knocked her down flat on her stomach, pinning her to the ground, and causing her breath to leave her lungs and her forehead to hit the brick pathway with a loud crack.

Her head exploded with pain as she gasped for air. She could hear grunting and then whatever was weighing her down was suddenly pulled off of her. A soft moan escaped her lips as she started to lift her head.

"Damon! Are you crazy?" she heard Stefan's familiar voice hiss, out of breath.

"Maybe a little," Damon answered as the Mikaelsons and Elena filed out of the open front doors.

Elena came running up to Stefan and froze when she saw Kol's lifeless body on the ground in front of Damon. Then her eyes landed on Cassandra.

"Oh my god. CASS!" she gasped.

Klaus's head snapped in Elena's direction at the mention of Cassandra's name. He vampire-sped over to her side, just as Stefan was kneeling down to help her. They both smelled the blood before they saw it coming from a huge gash on her forehead.

Sneering, Klaus turned to address Damon. "I suggest you leave before I break every bone in your body," he growled in a low voice. Damon didn't waste any time in walking off.

He turned back to Cassandra. Ignoring Stefan's presence, he effortlessly scooped her up into his arms and vampire-sped off with her to the sitting room they'd walked through earlier that night. He carefully set her down on the couch and had disappeared and returned before she could blink with a cloth in his hand. He gently pressed it to her head and had her hold it there with her own hand while he looked her over for anymore injuries. He was relieved to know her head was the worst of it all.

"What...happened?" she groaned. "What knocked me down?"

"That would be my little brother, Kol." Klaus told her softly.

Cassandra closed her eyes and leaned back into the couch as her head throbbed. "You wouldn't happen to have any aspirin would you?" she winced.

"I have something better," he answered. She watched as he walked over to one of the shelves in the room and grabbed a small glass. Then his face changed and his fangs came out right before he bit his hand. He tightened it into a fist and held it over the glass, allowing his blood to drip into it. After it stopped dripping, he walked over and sat down next to Cassandra on the couch.

"Here, love. This will heal you," he held the glass out to her.

She nodded once and took the glass from him. She tried as hard as she could not to think about what she was actually doing as she brought the glass to her lips and drank the red, metallic liquid. She was amazed how seconds later she could feel the throbbing subside.

"Thank you," she murmured, handing the glass back to him. "It still amazes me how fast vampire blood heals. The pain's nearly gone now."

"It truly is one of nature's wonderful little perks," he smiled. He set the glass down on a little end table near the couch and had her remove the cloth from her head. "Would you look at that? All healed."

"Really, thank you. I'm relieved I won't have to explain this to my mother or Caroline. They'd never want to let me leave the house again."

"And we can't have that," Klaus chuckled softly.

"Definitely not. Anyway, as amazing as tonight has been, aside from what just happened, I should probably get home."

"I'll walk you out."

Klaus stood and held his hand out to Cassandra. She took it and allowed him to help her to her feet. She couldn't hide her smile when he looped her around his as they started to leave the room. They stopped to get her shawl and purse once they were down stairs before continuing outside. As they walked arm in arm, she could hear her phone buzzing from inside her purse, but she chose to ignore it until she was in her car.

"This is me," she sighed softly once they reached her white Honda. She dug her keys out of her clutch and used the remote to unlock the doors.

"Allow me," Klaus reached for the handle on the driver's side door and opened it for her. She leaned down and set her little purse down on the passenger seat and then straightened out and turned back around to face Klaus.

In a rush of boldness, she stepped towards him and brushed her lips against his cheek. "I had an incredible time tonight."

For half a second, Klaus gazed at her in astonishment after she'd surprised him with the kiss on his cheek before he replaced the look with a warm smile.

"As did I," he reached for her gloved hand and brought it up to his lips, kissing the top of it lightly. He helped her climb into her car before letting go.

"Goodnight, Cassandra. I expect we'll see each other again very soon."

"I'm looking forward to it. Goodnight."

They smiled at each other one last time before he closed her car door and stepped back. She started up the car and quickly dug her phone out of her little purse before driving away. She noticed a few text messages from Caroline and Elena. She didn't feel like dealing with her sister so she dialed Elena's number and put the phone on speaker while she drove.

"Cass! Oh my gosh! I was so worried. Are you okay?" Elena shrieked after answering the call.

"I'm fine," Cassandra answered in a normal, relaxed tone. "Klaus healed me. I'm heading home, actually."

"Oh good," Elena sighed in relief. "I'm really sorry about what happened. Damon's mood was my fault. I said something to him I didn't mean and he acted out because of it."

"That…sounds like Damon," Cassandra shook her head. "Will you let Stefan know. Because he was there, I thought he'd wanna know I'm okay."

"He's right here. He heard you."

"Oh. Ok." A thought occurred to Cassandra. "Hey…you didn't tell my sister what happened did you?"

"No. I knew she wasn't happy you were coming to the ball and had a feeling this would only upset her more."

"Yes it would. Thank you for not involving her. And thank you for not trying to give me your two cents on who I spend my time with."

"I'm in no position to be giving advice on matters of the heart when I can't even figure out what's going on inside my own," Elena told her. "Anyway, I'll let you go."

"Okay. Talk to you later, Elena." Cassandra ended the call after Elena said goodbye.

A few minutes later, she finally pulled into the driveway of her house. She was saddened by the absence of her mother's police cruiser, but quickly realized it was for the best. She knew her mom would want to hear about the ball and she was too tired to have that kind of conversation.

She carefully climbed out of her car and headed inside. As she walked to her room, she could see a faint glow coming from under the closed door to Caroline's room. _She's probably been listening for when I finally came home,_ she shook her head slightly as she flipped the light switch on in her room before entering. She stopped in her tracks after a few short steps when she spotted a long, black velvet box tied with a white bow resting on her bed, much like the box the bracelet from Klaus had come in. She set her purse and shawl on her dresser before sitting down on her bed and picked up the black box. She slipped the ribbon off and slowly opened it to find a rolled up piece of parchment inside. She pulled it out and set the box down before carefully unrolling it.

"Oh my…" Cassandra gasped softly as she stared at a beautiful sketch of herself beside the horse she'd been petting earlier that night. Written on the bottom of the page below the sketch was a note: _Thank you for a wonderful evening, Klaus._

She gazed at it in amazement for a long moment before jumping to her feet. She set the sketch down on her dresser and removed the bracelet and gloves before pulling her phone out of her purse and called Klaus's number. He answered after the first ring.

"Hello, love. Missing me already?" Klaus chuckled softly.

Cassandra couldn't help laughing softly, but ignored his question. "I had to call and thank you for the drawing. It's beautiful."

"I'm glad you think so."

"How did you draw it so fast? Wait. Don't answer that. I already know how," Cassandra shook her head at her silliness. He laughed softly, causing a smile to spread across her face.

"I wanted you to have a lasting moment to remember, and that one stuck out."

"That was definitely a moment I'll never want to forget. That horse was so—oh!" She jumped in surprise and lowered the hand holding her phone to her side as she turned around and found Caroline standing in her room. "Caroline! Geeze, you scared me. How long have you been standing there?

Caroline let out a deep breath. "Long enough. Look, you're my sister and I love you, which is why I have to do everything in my power to keep you safe. I didn't want to do what I'm about to do, but I'm all out of options now."

Cassandra stared at her sister, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"Klaus, Cassandra. I'm talking about Klaus. I have to make you forget and get you out of town. Like Elena did with Jeremy. It's the only way."

"What do you mean 'forget'?" Cassandra suddenly started to get a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Then her eyes widened in horror as she realized what Caroline was getting at. "You...you want to compel me!"


	10. Acting In Desperation

**Chapter 10 - Acting In Desperation**

 _"_ _You…you want to compel me!"_

"Mom will understand. Then we'll help you find an apartment somewhere far away from here. But first I need to get that necklace off of you," Caroline started to walk towards Cassandra.

"Caroline…please! Don't do this! Don't take away my freedom like this!" Cassandra begged as she slowly walked backwards towards her bedroom door.

She knew she'd never be able to outrun her vampire sister, but she hoped she could stall long enough for Klaus to get there. She gripped her phone tightly, thanking the heavens that she hadn't ended her call with him. When she reached her door she slammed it shut as fast as she could and darted down the hall towards the front door. She yanked it open and ran outside. When she tried to pull it closed just as quickly as she had opened it, Caroline's hand suddenly appeared, stopping the door from closing all the way. Cassandra gasped and let go of the handle. She started backing up as Caroline walked through the doorway.

"Please, Caroline. Don't do this. I'm begging you!" Cassandra pleaded with her as she continued to step backwards on the porch.

"It's going to be okay, Cass. I know it doesn't seem like it right now, but you'll be so much better off in the long run. You'll be happy, and safe, and alive."

"Please!" Cassandra begged again, tears stinging her eyes. She knew it was a wasted effort, that her sister was beyond reason now. Klaus was her only hope. As she neared the porch steps Caroline suddenly used a burst of vampire speed to rush towards her and reached for the necklace around Cassandra's neck. With a hard tug, Caroline yanked it off. Cassandra started to take another step back, but her heel caught in her dress. Her arms flailed wildly as she started to fall backwards down the porch steps. She screamed, bracing herself for a painful impact, but it never came. Instead, she found herself in the strong arms of the one person she'd been praying would come.

"I've got you, love." Klaus whispered in her ear as he held her bridal style. She let out a breath as he set her back down onto her feet.

"Sh-she was going to..." Cassandra stammered as she latched onto Klaus's arms.

"I know," Klaus stepped forward so he was slightly in front of her and gave Caroline an icy cold stare. "I heard everything. And I thought I was the diabolical one around here."

"I…" Caroline trembled.

"You...what? You loathe me so much that you would erase me from your sister's memory?" he sneered as he started to take a step towards Caroline. Cassandra grabbed his arm, stopping him.

"Please, Klaus, just get me out of here and away from _her_!" she begged.

He turned back towards her, his face softening. He slid an arm around her waist and used vampire speed to disappear, leaving a stunned Caroline on the front porch.

When they came to a stop, she looked around and realized they were in the middle of the town square. It was eerily quiet and deserted due to the majority of people being at the ball that night.

"Thank you," she let out a deep breath as Klaus let go of her. She started to shake her head as an angry hiss escaped her lips. "I can't believe her! My own sister...and she thought she could justify messing with _my_ mind because Elena did the same thing with her brother? Give me a break! Ugh, I hate her for what she tried to do to me!

"As do I. It is actually taking me a great deal of self-control to not go back and break every bone in her body right now," Klaus spoke softly.

"I'm not stopping you. She deserves it."

"Don't tempt me, love."

"Ugh, I know, I know. It's the anger talking," Cassandra sighed. Looking past him, her eyes fell on a bench a few feet away. She walked around him and went over to sit down. He waited a beat before following and joining her. As they sat silently, the cold night air sent a chill through Cassandra, causing her to absentmindedly cross her arms and rub her hands up and down against her bare skin. Klaus immediately shrugged off his tuxedo jacket and draped it around her. She gave him a thankful smile as she pulled the sides closer together to keep her warm.

"She has my vervain necklace," she spoke after another minute had gone by. "And I wouldn't put it past her to have destroyed it by now or hidden it which makes me basically a sitting duck. Damn it!"

Klaus turned towards her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "We'll get you some vervain one way or another, don't worry. I won't let anything happen to you."

"How would you manage that? You planning to stand guard outside my bedroom window?"

"If that's what it takes, yes."

"I'm sure my mom would love that," Cassandra shook her head, a weak laugh leaving her lips. "I appreciate the offer, but it's not necessary."

He stared at her incredulously. "And why is that may I ask?"

"I'm going to see if I can crash somewhere else, like Elena's, because I sure as hell am not staying at my house right now," she tapped the screen on her phone to bring it out of sleep mode and pulled up her 'recent calls' list to find Elena's number.

Before she could tap Elena's name to initiate the call, Klaus put a hand on top of her phone to stop her. "Why do that when you can stay with me at my mansion? I have plenty of space and unoccupied rooms, and it's the one place your sister wouldn't dare set foot in."

Cassandra blinked in surprise. "Wow. That…that would be great, actually. Thank you."

"Don't even mention it, love," he smiled at her. He slowly rose to his feet and held a hand out to her. "Shall we?"

She hesitated to take his hand, biting the edge of her lip in thought. "Um…before we go back to your mansion, I want to grab a few things from home, only, I really don't want to see or deal with Caroline right now."

"I'll make sure she doesn't bother you while you get what you need."

"Thank you."

She slowly placed her hand in his and allowed him to help her stand before wrapping his other arm around her waist so he could use his vampire speed to get back to her house. The next thing she knew they were standing in the middle of her room. She tossed her phone onto her bed before walking over to her closet. She pulled out her big duffel bag and started grabbing clothing items from hangers, stuffing them into the bag. When she had all she wanted, she carried the bag over to her dresser. As she set it down on the floor her eyes immediately landed on the dresser top. Her vervain necklace lay on top of the white gloves she'd been wearing earlier that night. She carefully picked it up and dangled it in the air as she turned around to face Klaus.

"Well, isn't that something," he hummed softly.

"What it is is a big relief," Cassandra carefully looped it around her neck and hooked the clasp in place before twisting it so it lay properly against her chest. "Although, it doesn't change anything."

"Of course not," he nodded as she turned back to her dresser.

She grabbed the clothing she wanted from her drawers and added them to the duffel. She eyed the black velvet box that she'd put the bracelet from Klaus back into and stuffed it into her bag as well. When she went over to her desk where her everyday purse was and selected a couple of books from her bookshelf that she wanted to take with her the sudden sound of her sister's voice caused her to momentarily freeze as she was slipping the books into her bag.

"You're leaving?" Caroline gasped from the bedroom doorway. "Please don't go, Cass!"

As Cassandra finished putting the books in her purse, Klaus sped over to block Caroline from entering the room. "You need to leave before I snap your neck," he warned her with a low voice.

Ignoring him, Caroline looked over his shoulder at Cassandra. "Please stay. I promise I won't ever try to do that to you again."

"You want to know why I'm leaving Caroline?" Cassandra spun around and glared at her younger sister. "Because I don't trust you. I don't trust that you'll keep your word and I can't stay here when I can't trust you. Now I suggest you leave or he really will snap your neck and, honestly, I'm mad enough at you right now that I have no problem with it if he does."

Caroline stared at Cassandra with sadness in her eyes before turned around and headed down the hall to her room. Cassandra sighed softly before she turned back around to her desk and packed up her laptop. She set both her purse and laptop bag on her bed before heading out of her room and down the hall to the bathroom. She made quick work of packing the toiletries she wanted to bring in a smaller travel bag and slipped it into her duffel before zipping it shut once she was back in her room. As she reached down for it, Klaus's hand suddenly appeared, beating her to the shoulder strap.

"I've got it, love," he smiled at her. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yeah," she nodded as she went over to her bed and slipped her phone into her purse before slipping her arm through the straps and placing the laptop strap on her shoulder.

She stole one last glance at her room before flipping the light switch off and followed Klaus out to the foyer. She quickly grabbed her keys from the small table against the wall before they headed outside. While she put her laptop and purse in the back seat of her car, Klaus loaded her duffel bag into the trunk. Then they climbed into the car and headed to Klaus's mansion.

By the time they arrived the place was quiet, the ball having ended a while ago. While she carried her purse and laptop case, Klaus again carried her duffel bag as he lead her inside and up the stairs.

"I might need you to draw me a map so I don't get lost," Cassandra laughed softly as they walked down a long hallway.

"I'd be happy to," he smiled at her. A moment later they stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall. "Here we are."

He opened the door and allowed Cassandra to walk through first. Her eyes widened in awe as she looked around the huge, luxurious suite for the first time.

"Oh wow, this is beautiful," she murmured as her eyes drifted from the queen size four poster bed to the beautiful wooden furniture and accents.

"You have your own private bathroom over there," he nodded at a door on the right side of the room. She glanced over at it and nodded slowly.

"Hey, this isn't going to be a problem for your siblings is it?" She shifted her eyes back on to him.

"Of course not. We are all under strict orders from my mother not to harm anyone from town, and you, my dear, are included in that. After what my younger brother pulled earlier tonight with that quarterback, they will not do anything to disobey mother again. You have absolutely nothing to worry about."

"Good to know," she cracked a smile.

"Well, it is late. You should get some rest. If you need anything—"

"I'll be sure to let you know."

"Good. I will see you in the morning, then," Klaus started to walk towards the door.

"See you in the morning," Cassandra nodded slowly.

Once he was gone she carried her duffel bag over to the bed and pulled out her pajamas. After she changed out of the ball gown she carried it over to the closet and hung it up on one of the hangers inside. She gazed at it for a long moment as the memories of the ball flashed into her mind before closing the closet doors. She went back to her duffel bag and grabbed her toiletries bag before heading into the bathroom to brush her teeth and wash her face. When she was finished, she grabbed one of the books from her purse and crawled into bed to read until she fell asleep.

The next morning Cassandra woke up shortly after nine. For a couple of seconds, she was disoriented, but she quickly remembered where she was as the previous day's events flashed in her mind. She slowly sat up and moved her legs so they were hanging over the side of the bed and grabbed her phone from the end table. She saw a message from her mom and took a moment to type out a response before rising to her feet. After using the bathroom, she rifled through her duffel bag for a pair of blue jeans and an olive-green long sleeve shirt. Once she was dressed, she went back into the bathroom and stood in front of the huge mirror to brush her hair. When she was satisfied with it, she slipped her phone into her pocket and ventured out into the hallway. She decided to head back the way she and Klaus had come the night before and hoped to come across a housekeeper who could direct her to the kitchen. She made it past the grand staircases and had started to head in the direction of the parlor and Klaus's art room when a brown-haired boy around her age appeared in front of her out of nowhere, blocking her path.

"Well, aren't you a tasty little thing," the boy's lips curled upward in a devious grin that Cassandra didn't particularly care for. "I remember you from last night. Thanks for cushioning my fall, by the way."

"Um...you're welcome," Cassandra replied slowly. Then a lightbulb went on in her head. "Hang on…you're Kol, aren't you?"

"I am, indeed. I see my brother has told you about me," he grinned.

"Only that you landed on me after Damon Salvatore threw you off the balcony for breaking Matt Donovan's hand," she crossed her arms and gave him a look that showed him she clearly wasn't impressed. "Anyway, it was nice to officially meet you, Kol, but if you'll excuse me..."

When she tried to step around him he moved in front of her again. "What's the rush, darling?"

Before she could muster a reply, Klaus appeared beside Kol and gripped his shoulder firmly. "I see you've wasted no time in tormenting our new house guest, brother. You can leave now."

"Oh, lighten up, Nik," Kol turned his head towards his brother, "I was only introducing myself to the lovely Cassandra since you failed to acquaint us last night."

"Well, now you can go find someone else to bother. Perhaps our dear sister, Rebekah. You're never short of things to say to drive her mad," Klaus spoke lightly, though the demand in his voice for Kol to leave was crystal clear.

"Fine, fine, have it your way, brother," Kol paused and turned back to Cassandra, giving her one more grin. "If you ever get bored with this one, come find me and I'll gladly show you a good time."

Cassandra's lips parted slightly in surprise at Kol's bold remark as he walked away. She shook her head slightly as she turned toward Klaus. "So that's Kol."

"Unfortunately, yes. That was my annoying little brother," he nodded slowly. "I hope he didn't offend you."

"He didn't. Mostly I was just caught off guard."

"Good. Well I think breakfast should be ready by now," he paused and held out his hand to her. "Shall we?"

"Of course," she smiled and placed her hand in his.

He led her to a room with a gorgeous wood dining table and chairs placed below a dazzling chandler and a lit fireplace. The table top was set for two with a delicious breakfast feast fit for a king.

"Oh wow!" Cassandra gawked at the table. "This looks incredible!"

"It should taste as good as it looks," he smiled as he pulled a chair out for her.

The conversation while they ate was light. When they were done, they moved to the parlor room from the night before. Kol was already there lounging in one of the leather chairs. He flashed Cassandra a cheeky grin as she made herself comfortable on the couch. She shook her head with a soft laugh as she tucked her legs under her. Klaus joined her on the couch a moment later with a sketch book and colored pencils. He sat with his back to the corner of the couch and folded one leg under him so he would have a place to lay the sketch book. Cassandra propped her left elbow on the top of the back of the couch and leaned her head against her hand as she watched him begin to draw. It wasn't long before she became mesmerized by the lines and colors on the page as the image he was creating slowly began to take shape. A moment later, her attention was drawn over to Kol who had jumped to his feet as a blonde Cassandra now knew to be their sister, Rebekah, came strolling through the room in her gown from the ball the previous night.

"Well, well, well. There's our girl," Kol blocked his sister's path. She tried to go around him and again he blocked her.

"Get out of my way, Kol," Rebekah huffed.

"Out all night. What a scandal. I trust you did better than that commoner," he mirrored her side-step attempt to pass by him. "Matt, was it?"

Cassandra frowned at Kol's use of the world 'commoner' to describe Matt Donovan. "If Matt's a commoner, what does that make me?" she asked Klaus softly.

"Oh, just ignore him. I do," Klaus murmured without looking up.

"Don't worry, darling, you are far from it," Kol flashed Cassandra a grin before turning back to his sister. Cassandra rolled her eyes and went back to observing Klaus's drawing.

"If you don't shut your mouth, the next thing to come out of it will be your teeth," Rebekah threatened Kol.

Klaus's lips curled into an amused smile at his sister's remark. It didn't go noticed by her or Cassandra.

"Don't start, Nik," Rebekah shoved Kol who finally allowed her to pass by him.

"I didn't say anything," Klaus looked up at Rebekah, smirking as she walked over to the couch while Kol jumped back onto the chair he'd been stretched out on before Rebekah came into the room.

"You didn't have to. Your silly little grin spoke volumes," Cassandra chuckled lightly.

"Finally someone is on my side for once," she smiled at Cassandra. Rebekah eyed her for a moment as recognition slowly crept onto her face. "I remember you from last night. My brother nearly flattened you into a human pancake. I'm surprised you haven't run for the hills."

Cassandra stole a sideways glance at Klaus before speaking again. "I'm dealing with some sibling drama of my own, so your brother is letting me stay here for the time being. I'm sure you all don't have any idea whatsoever what that is like," she eyed all three of them with a wide grin on her face.

"No, I don't suppose we do," Klaus grinned back at her. A moment later they all burst into a fit of laughter.

"What a refreshing sense of humor," Rebekah smiled.

"Pretty and witty," Kol flashed another grin at Cassandra. She rolled her eyes at him and went back to watching Klaus draw. A moment passed before Kol let out a long sigh. "I'm bored. Our sister is a strumpet, but at least she's having fun. I need entertainment."

Klaus looked up at Kol. "Well what are you waiting for? Go on. Have at it."

"It's no fun to go alone. Join me, Nik, It's the least you can do after sticking a dagger in my heart," he waited a beat for his brother to respond, and when Klaus remained silent, Kol turned his gaze back to Cassandra. "Fine. How about you, darling? Join me for a drink while he continues working on his silly little drawings."

Cassandra had no intention of going without Klaus, but before she could answer he let out a big sigh as he looked up at his younger brother. "Okay. Why not?" He closed his sketch book and set it on the coffee table as he stood up. "I didn't have nearly enough to drink last night, what with you trying to murder Rebekah's date or nearly crushing mine."

"Yes, please go. This house has enough men rolling around in it," Rebekah encouraged her brothers to leave. Cassandra started to stand up, intending to go with them, when Rebekah stopped her. "Let them go on without you. Then we can have the place to ourselves for a little uninterrupted girl talk."

"Rebekah," Klaus gave his sister a stern look.

"Don't worry, Nik. I promise to be nice," she tried to reassure him, though he knew better than to blindly believe it.

"Don't believe anything she says about me," Klaus looked over at Cassandra.

Cassandra nodded slowly and gave him a small smile. "I won't. Now go. Go spend some quality time with your brother. I'll be fine."

He nodded and reluctantly left the room with Kol right behind him. Once they were gone, Rebekah turned to Cassandra. "Now that it's just us girls, I'm going to go change and then we'll have that little chat about you and my brother."

"Rebekah," Elijah's voice called out as she'd barely taken a step to leave.

"Not you too, Elijah," she sighed as he entered the room and walked towards her, holding something in his hand that Cassandra couldn't make out.

"I'm worried about mother. Have you not noticed her strange behavior?" He asked softly as he walked up to her.

"She's been dead for a thousand years. What's strange for her?"

Before he answered his eyes suddenly landed upon Cassandra. "Oh. Hello there. I didn't realize we had company. It's Cassandra, isn't it? The sheriff's eldest daughter."

"Yes," Cassandra nodded slowly. "You're Elijah. I remember you from last night. You're quite the eloquent speaker."

"Thank you," he gave her a genuine smile before turning back to Rebekah, deciding Cassandra didn't pose any kind of threat by hearing the rest of his conversation with his sister. He handed Rebekah what he'd been holding in his hand. "Burnt sage. She was doing a privacy spell."

Rebekah examined the small bundle for a moment before handing in back to him. "You know she fancies such things. Why don't you ask Finn? He's been doting on her."

"I don't trust Finn. He hates what we are. He always has."

"That's not true. And as for mother, she returned for one reason, to make our family whole. She loves us. What trouble are you looking for?"

Cassandra could tell by the look on Elijah's face that he wasn't satisfied with Rebekah's answers. She couldn't blame him. She knew enough to know that if a witch was using a privacy spell to conceal a conversation, it didn't mean anything good, but without any proof she knew better than to stick her nose in their family business.

She found herself alone in the room a moment later. While she waited for Rebekah to return, she leaned forward and picked up Klaus's sketch book from the coffee table. She slowly opened it and began thumbing through the pages. She stared in awe as she came across page after page of sketches of her own face. It left her with a feeling of awe that she had never experienced before. She began to wonder if he had ever intended on her seeing the sketches and decided to keep the fact that she had seen them to herself for the time being. She was placing the book back on the coffee table when Rebekah came back into the room looking a lot more freshened up and dressed in normal, everyday clothes.

"So," she took a seat on the couch next to Cassandra, "You fancy my brother."

"I...uh, well…yeah," Cassandra stammered, unprepared for Rebekah's bluntness. "I do."

"You're either really brave or really dumb entangling yourself with him."

"Probably. My sister would definitely say dumb."

"Yes, I expect she's against the idea of the two of you together."

Cassandra bit her lip as she debated whether or not to fill Rebekah in on what had led to her being a houseguest at the mansion. "When I got home last night she wanted to compel me to forget ever meeting your brother. She would have succeeded if he hadn't shown up when he did. That's why I'm staying here for the foreseeable future."

Rebekah tilted her head slightly. "I can't say I blame you. I wouldn't be anywhere near my brothers if we could be compelled."

"It's ironic because she was the one to give me this vervain necklace in the first place," Cassandra placed a hand over the heart charm hanging against her chest.

"Well she knows how to fight dirty, I'll give her that."

"Your brother said he thought he was the diabolical one."

"Yeah, that sounds about right," Rebekah nodded with a grin. "How did you two meet anyway?"

"Ah, that's actually kind of a funny story…a case of mistaken identity," Cassandra chuckled and launched into the story of how she first met Klaus.

"Oh, I am still bitter about missing that party," Rebekah groaned when Cassandra had finished telling her about that day. "I'd have thoroughly enjoyed witnessing the look on Nik's face when Mikael showed up to the party. Oh well. I can't complain too much considering he's out of our hair forever."

They continued chatting for a little while until Rebekah received a phone call from Elijah who needed her help with something. After she left, Cassandra decided to head back to her room and hang up some of her clothes in the closet while putting the rest in the dresser. When she was done, she knew exactly what she wanted to do next and eagerly made her way over to the tall bookshelves in the parlor room. Her eyes traveled over the different titles as she scanned over them. In the end, she decided on Pride and Prejudice, feeling in the mood for an old-fashioned romance, and curled up on the couch to read.

* * *

Stefan stared down at the open chest freezer full of blood bags in the cellar of the boarding house. He reached down and pulled out a blood bag. He squeezed it in his hand for a moment before opening it.

"Clock's ticking," Damon came down the stairs and stopped beside him, eying the open blood bag. You gonna help me brainstorm a plan or are you too busy fixing yourself a snack?"

"We need to call Bonnie," Stefan closed the lid to the freezer and turned to his brother. "There's got to be a way for her to stop Esther from channeling all that power."

"A. What if she's with Esther? B. What if she can't cut her off? C. I don't know how any of this stuff works, and D. neither do you," Damon pointed out.

"You got a better plan?"

"Worst case scenario…simple mechanics. Can't draw power from a dead battery."

Stefan nodded slowly as the implication behind Damon's words sunk in. "Kill them."

"If it comes to that," Damon reached out and grabbed the blood bag from Stefan's hand, bringing it to his lips to take a sip before handing it back to him.

"There's got to be another way," Stefan started pacing around.

"Well, what if I told you I had a less diabolical plan," Damon held up one of the silver daggers meant for the original vampires, stopping Stefan in his tracks.

"You want to dagger Elijah," Stefan stared at it.

"They're all linked. One goes down, they all go down. The witches live, Elena's safe, problem solved."

"We don't know how that'll affect Klaus."

"Ironically, Klaus isn't our current problem," Damon stated.

Stefan still wasn't quite convinced. "Dagger is lethal to any vampire who uses it."

"Well, I just so happen to know someone crazy enough to give it a shot," Damon raised his eyebrows mischievously. "But first, we're going to need a little blonde distraction, and I know just the right person for the job."

He left Stefan in the cellar and headed outside the boarding house to make his first phone call.

Back at the mansion, Cassandra was completely engrossed in Pride and Prejudice when her phone started ringing from on top of the coffee table. She picked it up and did a double-take at the screen, not expecting to see Damon's name flashing back at her. She tapped the answer button and brought the phone up to her ear.

"Hey Damon," she answered lightly. "You're the last person I expected to hear from today. What's up?"

"Hey. Listen, I'm gonna need a little favor from you," he cut right to the chase.

"What kind of favor," Cassandra slowly sat up. She wasn't about to agree to do anything for him without knowing exactly what it was he wanted first.

"I need you to go down to The Grill and distract Klaus. Get him away from his brother."

"Why?"

"I can't tell you why."

Cassandra shook her head slightly. "Well, then I'm sorry. I can't help you."

"Oh, I think you will…unless you want me to tell everyone about our time together in New York while you were there with your friends the summer before you went off to college," he smirked.

Cassandra's eyes widened in shock as her memory flashed back to those crazy few weeks. They felt like a lifetime ago now. "Oh my god. Are you trying to blackmail me?"

"If that's what it takes, yep."

"What makes you think anyone would believe you if I still refused to do what you're asking?"

"I have pictures stashed away, or did you forget about those?"

"You kept them!" Cassandra gasped. "What am I saying, of course you did. You're you. Ugh! Fine, whatever. I'll do it."

Damon grinned. "I knew you'd see things my way."

"I'll be there in twenty," she sighed.

"Good. Your help is greatly appreciated," he thanked her, a hint of smugness still in his voice.

She hung up the phone a moment later with a groan. She stared at the open book in her lap before marking her spot with the attached ribbon bookmark and closed it before dragging herself off of the couch. She headed back to her room and placed the book on the end table by the bed before heading over to the closet. She figured if she was going to be distracting Klaus, a good place to start was her attire. She decided on a black, low V-neck, sleeveless top that showed off her cleavage and grabbed her black leather jacket before closing the closet doors. She left it on the bed while she went into the bathroom to fix her hair and apply some makeup. When she was done and ready to go, she had to admit she was kind of excited to see the look on Klaus's face when she walked into The Grill, although she had no idea how she was going to get him away from Kol. While she didn't know Damon's reasons for needing them separated, she did know that whatever they were, they weren't good.

"Heaven help us all if this ends up being one huge disaster," she muttered to herself as she slipped on her jacket, grabbed her purse, and headed out to her car.

A few minutes later she pulled up to the grill. Judging by the lack of available spaces to park, she knew it would be crowded inside. Once she had finally snagged a spot, she headed to the entrance, taking a deep breath before pulling the door open to head inside. She quickly spotted Alaric over by the pool tables with Dr. Fell and flashed him a small smile before continuing on towards the bar. Klaus and Kol were easy to spot considering they were facing her direction, their backs to the bar top.

"Well, well, look who decided to join us," Kol grinned as Cassandra walked up to them. "Glad to see you've had a change of heart…among other things."

Cassandra did her best to ignore the fact that he was being blatantly obvious about checking her out and turned her attention to Klaus who was glaring at Kol momentarily before fixing his gaze upon her. She could tell by the grin on his lips and the sparkle in his eyes that he quite liked what he was seeing.

"I was bored. And lonley. The lovely Jane Austin could only hold my attention for so long," she smiled.

"I'm glad you came," Klaus smiled back. "Can I get you a drink?"

Cassandra took a beat before answering. She was supposed to be getting him away from Kol, but she couldn't just say no. She realized she had no idea how she was going to separate them. _Lord help me!_ She silently prayed.

"Sure," she nodded. As Klaus turned to flag down the bartender, Cassandra happened to look over at the entrance as the answer to her prayers walked through the doors in the form of the last person she wanted to see at that moment—Caroline. It provided the perfect excuse. Before Klaus could get the bartender's attention, she stopped him and motioned in Caroline's direction with her head. "On second thought, I'm going to have to take a rain check. I'm sorry."

She quickly left the bar and headed outside before Klaus could try to change her mind.

"Nice going, brother," Kol shook his head. Klaus glared at him before following after Cassandra.

She was halfway across the street when she heard Klaus calling after her. Once she reached the other side, she stopped and turned to face him. "I should have known she'd show up. It's the local hang out spot."

"Don't worry about it, love," he told her. He could sense how tense she was after seeing her sister and led her over to a bench a couple of feet away. "Why don't we just stay out here a while and talk?"

"Okay," Cassandra nodded slowly. "Talk about what?"

"I want to talk about you. Your hopes. Your dreams. Everything you want in life." he rested his arm on the top of the bench as he angled his body towards her.

"Oh wow," she laughed. She took a moment to think it over, but before she could answer Klaus suddenly brought a hand to his chest, placing it on his heart as gasped softly as he rose to his feet. She rose to her feet. "What is it?"

He turned and look at her with a wide eyed, horror filled expression. "What did you do?"

"What are you talking about? I didn't do anything!" she cried out.

He started to look around when realization hit him, hard. "Kol," he gasped. He grabbed Cassandra's hand and used his vampire speed to get to the back of the restaurant where Alaric was dragging Kol's daggered body out a side door at the base of a flight of stairs. "Wait here."

Cassandra stood at the top of the stairs while Klaus sped down and removed the dagger from Kol before knocking Alaric and Stefan down, leaving Damon as the last one standing. She clapped a hand over her mouth as Klaus started walking towards Damon.

"I should have killed you months ago," he glared.

"Do it," Damon dared him, much to Cassandra's dismay. He may not have been Cassandra's favorite person, but that didn't mean she wanted to see him dead. "It's not going to stop Esther from killing you."

"What did you say about my mother?" Klaus hissed in a low voice as he walked towards Damon. Cassandra blinked in shock as she tried to process what Damon had just said. Then she remembered what Elijah had said to Rebekah that morning about their mother using sage for a privacy spell and, suddenly, it all made sense.

"You didn't know I was friends with your mummy?" Damon snickered. "Yeah, we have a lot in common. She hates you as much as I do."

Klaus started to lunge at Damon with a snarl when Cassandra yelled at him to wait as Elijah appeared beside her at the top of the stairs, nearly startling her half to death.

"Leave him!" Elijah bellowed in a calm voice. Klaus slowly turned around to face his older brother, his annoyance at being interrupted in mid-attack quite evident on his face. "We still need them, Niklaus."

"What did mother do?" Klaus asked him. When Elijah didn't answer he asked again. "What did she do, Elijah?"

Elijah wordlessly pulled his phone out of his inside jacket pocket and quickly made his way down the stairs to Damon. "You tell me where the witches are, or I'll have my sister kill Elena right now."

"What?" Cassandra came running down the stairs with a wide-eyed look of horror on her face. She was too caught up in everything to pay attention to her now close proximity to Stefan at the foot of the stairs. "That's what you needed Rebekah for?"

Damon glanced up at the clock tower to check the time. It was going on eight thirty. "You told me we had until after nine."

"I'm sure Rebekah'd be more than happy to start her work early," Elijah continued, ignoring Cassandra's remark, though the look on her face did not go unnoticed.

Even though Cassandra knew Damon and Stefan would do whatever it took to save Elena, she'd heard enough and turned around to head back up the stairs to the ground level. She'd only taken a couple of steps when she heard Elijah explain to Klaus how their mother intended to kill them. She froze as her stomach dropped at the thought of never seeing Klaus again. When she turned back around, she was met with his glowering stare. Wordlessly, he walked past Elijah and met her on the stairs.

"I want you to go back to the mansion and wait for me there," he told her softly. She knew better then to protest and silently nodded before leaving him and continuing up the stairs.

The walk to her car and the drive back to the mansion were a blur. Once she was back inside, Cassandra headed up to parlor room to wait for Klaus's return. She was grateful for the crackling fire in the fireplace and stood in front of it to enjoy the heat for a moment before she began pacing around the room. She couldn't stop her mind from spinning in crazy circles, imaging the ways their mother could kill them. _Ugh, get a grip Cassandra! Stefan and Damon will come through and find a way to stop her and save Elena at the same time. Klaus will be fine. He's the Original Hybrid. He can't be killed. He's said so himself._ Her thoughts did little to comfort her.

Eventually her eyes landed on a shelf on the far side of the room where a tray with a crystal decanter filled with a brown liquid and a few glass tumblers. She walked over and poured a little bit of the liquid into a glass. She brought the glass to her lips and took a small sip as she walked back over to sit in the big chair closest to the fireplace. It burned her throat, but only for a second. The next sip went down a lot more smoothly and before she knew it she began to feel a warm calmness wash over her.

She'd been staring at the remaining bit of liquid in her glass when Klaus appeared in the doorway. She set the glass on the coffee table and rose to her feet as relief flooded through her body. He walked around the couch and over to where she was standing. She closed the gap between them and wrapped her arms around his neck. He smiled as he brought his arms up around her frame.

"I'm so glad you're okay," she sighed softly as she buried her face against his shoulder. After a moment she lifted her head to look at him "Is Elena—"

"The doppelganger lives to see another day," he smiled at her. "The Salvatores were able to fulfill Elijah's wishes."

"Oh, thank god," she sighed. "My mind went a little crazy while I was waiting. I didn't know what to think. But you're okay, Elena's okay, and your mother was stopped."

He slowly brought a hand up and gently moved a lose strand of hair behind her ear before caressing her cheek. "Yes, I'm okay. We all are. Well, we're still all linked together, but that's a problem for another day."

"Yes, I guess it is," Cassandra laughed softly. "I'm sorry my annoying sister ruined your chance to buy me a drink."

"Well, by the look of things I'd say you made up for it," he nodded his head at the glass on the coffee table.

"Oh…yeah. I guess I did. I hope it's okay."

"It's more than okay, love. I'm glad you're making yourself more at home."

"Yes, she's even helped herself to one of my books," Rebekah appeared in the doorway. Cassandra immediately pulled away from Klaus and sat back down in the chair. "She has good taste in literature."

Klaus turned towards Rebekah. "I thought you'd have gone by now. Elijah's leaving. Kol's fled. Esther and Finn are gone too."

"I hated you when I learned you killed our mother, but I realize now that after a thousand years together as a family, you're the only who never left me," Rebekah spoke softly.

"Well, aren't we a pair," Klaus flashed her a small smile.

Rebekah pulled out her phone and started to walk up to him. "There's something I think you need to see."

"Come to brag about your skills as a torturer?" He reached for the phone and held it in his hand to watch the video Rebekah had pulled up.

"Look at the images on the wall behind Elena. The natives told the story of our family history. Look at the images on the _far_ wall," Rebekah explained.

"What is it?"

"A native worshipping at the Great White Oak tree."

"And? We burned that tree to the ground."

Rebekah's voice grew more serious. "Look at the markings that precede it. That's the native calendar."

Klaus stared at the video image on the screen. "This can't be right," he whispered.

"A white oak tree, three hundred years after we fled back to the Old World. There must have been a sapling, a new tree to replace the old. That tree could kill us. It's not over, Nik."

The look on Klaus's face was something Cassandra had never seen before—fear _._ She glanced momentarily at her glass on the coffee table, then picked it up and stood to her feet. She walked the few steps it took to end up beside Klaus.

"You need this more than I do," she held the glass out to him.

"Thanks, love," he gave her an appreciative smile as he took the glass and brought it to his lips, downing the remaining liquid in one gulp.

"So what now?" Cassandra asked.

"Now," Klaus looked at both Cassandra and Rebekah, "We need to figure out what became of the second white oak tree and destroy it."

* * *

 **I was overwhelmed and blown away by the responses to the last chapter. You guys are the best! I know it was cruel of me to leave such a nasty cliffhanger, but it had to be done. Some of you are more observant than I realized picking up on the fact that Cassandra never ended her phone call with Klaus, allowing him to hear everything and come to her aid, so lots of brownie points to all of you. Thank you so much for continuing to read and give me feed back. It really does make my day. I can't wait to see what you all think of this latest chapter and the new developments in the story!**


	11. Just the Two of Us

**I was pleasantly surprised to see so many of you so curious about Cassandra's past with Damon. I can tell you that there will be more tidbits revealed in future chapters, just not this one. This one is all Cassandra/Klaus fluff that I'm sure you will all enjoy. Thanks again for reading and reviewing!**

* * *

 **Chapter 11 - Just the Two of Us**

The next morning Cassandra walked into the dining room and was surprised to only find Klaus sitting at the head of the table, an open book out in front of him.

"Good morning, love," he glanced up at her with a smile.

"Good morning," she smiled back at him as she slid into the chair to the left of him. "Where's Rebekah?"

"She's in town digging around for whatever information she can find about the oldest trees around here. It'll just be the two of us today."

"Oh. Okay," she nodded slowly as she reached for a piece of toast and took a bite before setting it on her plate.

"I thought perhaps we might venture away from town for a little while. A change of scenery can be good now and then," he gazed at her with soft eyes.

"I like the sound of that. Where exactly would we go?" Cassandra asked curiously.

Klaus raised his eyebrows as a mischievous grin appeared on his face. "That's a surprise, love. You'll just have to wait and see."

"Not even a hint?"

"Nope."

"All right. It's a good thing I like surprises," she flashed him another grin before taking another bite of her piece of toast.

After she finished eating, Cassandra went back to her room to grab a warmer jacket and a scarf per Klaus's suggestion to bundle up because it was cold outside. She was surprised once they were outside when he opened the passenger side door of a black SUV for her and whooshed to the driver's side after she was seated.

"What?" he noticed her staring at him with a curious expression as he started the car.

"I just wasn't expecting you to take the wheel. You usually have a driver," she chuckled lightly.

"I told you it was going to just be the two of us. I meant every word," he flashed her a small smile before focusing his eyes on the road.

"You did say that," she nodded, looking out the passenger window.

It wasn't long before they were passing through the busy streets in center of town. Once they'd reached the main highway just outside the town limits, Cassandra tried to silently guess where they were going. She was familiar with the road and the different turn outs that lead to neighboring towns, but when they passed by one after the other, she was left mystified. It wasn't until they turned onto a dirt road and came upon a metal sign dangling from the center of a wooden archway that she realized where they were.

"Oh my god!" Cassandra gasped excitedly. She looked over at Klaus, wide eyed. "How? How'd you know this was the place?"

"I asked your mother," Klaus smirked back at her. "She was more than happy to tell me."

"I'm going to have to remember to thank her the next time I see her," Cassandra's eyes sparkled with excitement as the familiar fenced off paddocks and big brown house-like structure came into view.

"Now you have someone to go riding with again."

"Yeah, I do," she beamed at him.

As they pulled up to the area designated for parking, a young man dressed in jeans, work boots, and a faded denim button up shirt came out of the main barn to greet them. They climbed out of the SUV and met him half way.

"Cassandra Forbes, is that really you?" The man's face broke out into a huge grin.

Cassandra stared back at him quizzically, unable to place him. "I'm sorry…do I know you?"

"You really don't recognize me?" The man laughed. "I only used to follow you and your sister around like a lost puppy whenever you came to ride. Sure was bummed when you two stopped comin'."

"Oh my god!" Cassandra clapped a hand to her mouth, her eyes widening as she realized who he was. "Tommy! Wow! You grew up!"

She stepped forward and wrapped arms around his neck in a big hug.

"Heh, yeah. So did you," he smiled after they'd hugged stepped back. "Your mom called to let us know you and a friend were comin' out here."

"Yeah," she turned her head to glance at Klaus. "This is—"

"Call me Klaus," Klaus held his hand out to Tommy. Cassandra watched as the two men firmly shook hands.

"Tommy. Nice to meet ya," Tommy gave a polite nod before motioning for Klaus and Cassandra to follow him to the barn. "Come on. The horses you'll be ridin' are ready and waitin'.

They followed Tommy through the wide-open doors and walked up to two horses all tacked up and ready to go. Cassandra's eyes immediately on the lighter of the two horses, a cream colored mare.

"Is that..." she gasped as she looked at Tommy.

"Yep. She's still goin' strong. Thought you'd like to ride her again after all these years," he grinned.

When they reached the horses, Cassandra turned to Klaus. "This pale girl right here is the horse I used to ride whenever Caroline and I came out here. Meet Juliet." She raised her hand slowly to the mare's big snout and smiled when Juliet nudged her hand.

"And this," Tommy patted the side of the second horse, a beautiful chestnut. "is Michelangelo."

Cassandra had to fight the urge to laugh after hearing the horse's name. She met Klaus's eyes for a brief moment, giving him the tiniest of smirks before turning her attention back to the horses and Tommy.

"If you two want to lead Michelangelo and Juliet outside, I'll go grab Cobalt and—" Tommy started to give them instructions when Klaus used his vampire speed to suddenly appear in front of him.

He put a hand on Tommy's shoulder and leaned in, compelling him. "Thanks, mate, but we can continue on without you. Carry on with the rest of your stable duties. Cassandra and I will return in a couple of hours."

Cassandra watched as Tommy mumbled something and walked off. She eyed Klaus with a raised eyebrow but said nothing and instead grabbed Juliet's reins to lead her outside. Klaus followed behind with Michelangelo. Once they were far enough from the stable, they both mounted their horses and guided them to the start of the trail.

"Wow this place hasn't changed a bit," Cassandra looked around astonished. Klaus stayed silent, enjoying the expression on her face.

The trail was wide enough for them to ride side by side, allowing them to maintain a casual conversation. She asked him to tell her more about the horse he once had, the good memories, and she shared more of her own.

After an hour of riding, they stopped at a plateaued area to give the horses a little break before turning around. As soon as they'd both dismounted their horses, Cassandra asked Klaus if he'd take a picture with her and the horses to capture the experience. With a smile, he walked around Michelangelo and stood next to her while she pulled her phone out of her jacket pocket and opened the camera app. She could feel his hand gently pressed against her back as she gripped Juliet's bridle to guide the horse's head. Using her arm closest to Klaus she held it out as far as she could until both horses were part of the shot and pressed the button on the side of her phone to snap the photo.

"Send me a copy of that would you, love?" Klaus whispered in her ear after they'd both had a chance to see the photo on her screen. His voice sent a shiver down her spine, and all she could do was nod that she'd heard him as she tapped the screen to open the photo in a new message to him. She hit send and watched as he pulled out his phone a second later and slowly smiled when he opened the message containing the photo.

Once they'd had a long enough break, they climbed back onto the horses and started to make their way back to the barn. They fell into a comfortable silence for the first quarter mile, enjoying the peaceful outdoors. At one point, Cassandra suddenly had Juliet take off at a canter when Klaus wasn't expecting it. She looked over her shoulder at him and flashed him a playful grin. He quickly caught on and guided his horse to catch up to her. They shared a laugh before letting the horses canter some more.

When they were done riding they grabbed some lunch at a café in the nearest town. It took every ounce of self-control Cassandra had to refrain from scoffing or rolling her eyes when their waitress began to make some obvious attempts of flirting with Klaus. She knew if she acted jealous, the teasing that would come from Klaus as a result would be a lot worse than when she'd accidentally blurted out that he was gorgeous. When they returned to the SUV after eating lunch, she'd been tempted to make a comment about the waitress, but she ultimately kept her mouth shut knowing it would only serve to be a dead giveaway to the pings of jealousy she'd felt back at the restaurant.

It was a little after three by the time they returned to the mansion. While Klaus went to call Rebekah and find out what progress she was making in finding out what happened to the white oak, Cassandra went to her room. She pulled off her jacket and laid it on the bed before grabbing Pride and Prejudice from the nightstand and headed to the parlor to curl up on the couch. Before she opened the book, she pulled her phone out of her pocket and brought up the photo she'd taken of herself and Klaus, smiling as she gazed at it. After a long minute, she closed out of the photo and set her phone on the coffee table. It didn't take her long to become engrossed in the pages of the book once she opened it and resumed reading. Klaus joined her on the couch a few minutes later, sketch book and colored pencils in hand.

"So it seems the answers we seek regarding the white oak lie with the Salvatores," Klaus told her as he opened his sketch book.

Cassandra lowered her book to look over at him. "How so?"

"Their family owned the logging mills back when the town was built. Rebekah's trying to track down the milling ledgers, but they may not be in the public records," he kept his eyes on the open page as he started drawing.

"Ah. I see how that presents a new problem."

"Correct. They are undoubtedly on vervain which means they can't be compelled to tell us what we need to know."

"Which means poking around and asking questions without arousing their suspicions."

"Something my dear baby sister can most certainly handle."

Cassandra didn't respond, lost in a thought that had jumped into her mind. It was a little crazy, and a lot risky, but the chances of it being a success were in her favor. The only thing she wasn't certain of was whether or not Klaus would go for it. She was trying to figure out how to broach the topic with him when she began to feel like she was being watched and looked up to find Klaus staring back her.

"Penny for your thoughts," he eyed her curiously.

"Uh," Cassandra pressed her lips together for a moment. "Well, I was just thinking…what if I tried talking to Damon."

"And why would you do that?" he raised an eyebrow.

"He'd probably be more willing to talk to me than your sister. He doesn't hate me or want me dead. He proved that when he saved my life. He'd be less likely to suspect me of snooping, at least not as quickly as he would suspect Rebekah."

"Let's just wait and see how Rebekah does first. If she is unsuccessful then we'll talk about using this idea of yours."

"But wouldn't it be better if I tried to talk to him sooner rather than later? I think if I tried to talk to him after Rebekah's poked around he'd be a lot more suspicious then if I tried now, before she asks too many questions."

"I know you mean well, love, but Rebekah can handle it."

"Okay," Cassandra sighed softly. She dropped the subject and resumed her reading. Or tried to. She found herself continually distracted by her own inner thoughts. _Why didn't he go for it? Does he think I wouldn't be able to get anything out of Damon? Or that Damon would figure out what I'm up to and do something to hurt me to get back at Klaus? That's a little far fetched. Besides, I know Damon better than they do. They don't know that though. Not really, and I think it's better they don't know to what extent. Ugh, just drop it Cass. It probably wouldn't work anyway, not anymore. Maybe if I'd been able to talk to him before Rebekah had...but it doesn't matter. What if I went straight to Rebekah and told her about my idea? She'd probably be a little more receptive to it, maybe even help make it happen, but I'm pretty sure Klaus would be furious with both of us for going behind his back, and upsetting him isn't worth it._

"Everything okay, love?" Klaus's voice suddenly pulled Cassandra out of her head.

"Huh?" She blinked as her eyes moved from the open book to his face.

"You've been staring at the same page for almost ten minutes now."

"Oh. Yeah. Everything's fine. I must have spaced out I guess. I...uh...I think I'm going to go lie down for a little while, maybe take a nap," she closed the book and rose to her feet. She was slightly surprised when Klaus made no move to stop her as she left the room, and was grateful that he didn't.

When she got back to her room, she shut the door quietly and set the book on the nightstand before flopping onto the bed. She lay on her back, staring up at the ceiling. She wasn't actually tired, but she needed to get away from Klaus before he realized how disappointed she was that he'd turned down her idea. She needed some space to clear her head and get over her hurt feelings before doing something that ended up ruining the pleasant day they'd already been having.

After a couple of minutes had gone by, Cassandra pulled her her phone and sent her mom a quick message just to say hello and to thank her for telling Klaus about the stables. She backed out of her messages and opened the web browser, curious to see how far back she could go in the town's history on the world wide web. She was disappointed but not surprised to find that the farther back she went, the thinner the amount of information there was online. She let out a soft sigh of frustration as she dropped the hand holding her phone onto the bed.

She had a fleeting moment where she thought about sneaking out and tracking down Damon on her own, but she knew Klaus would stop her before she made it to her car. He was probably listening, even in that moment, for her to leave her room.

 _Just leave it alone_ _Cassandra_ , she hissed at herself.

With a resounding sigh she rolled over and grabbed Pride and Prejudice from the nightstand. Making herself comfortable on the bed she opened the book back up this time she was able to get lost in the words on the page.

Cassandra had no idea she'd nodded off until a light tap at her bedroom door startled her awake. The book, which was laying open on her chest rolled down to her lap as she shot up to a sitting position. She reached for her phone and brought the screen to life to view the clock. Her eyes widened when she saw that it was nearly 5:30 p.m. She'd been sleeping for over an hour!

"Coming," she mumbled with a yawn as she moved the book to the side and slowly rolled off the bed onto her feet. She quickly padded over to the door and opened it to find one of the housekeepers standing on the other side.

"Good evening. Mister Mikaelson would like to extend an invitation for you to join him in the dining room," the housekeeper told her.

"Oh. Okay. Sure. I'll be right there. I just need to freshen up a little first," Cassandra nodded slowly.

"Very good. I will let him know."

"Thank you."

Cassandra waited until the housekeeper had walked away before closing the door to her room. She quickly changed into a fresh top and went into the bathroom to fix her hair and apply a quick little bit of makeup. She came out of the bathroom feeling more awake and ready to face Klaus again and less like she'd just crawled out of bed after taking a nap. She slipped her phone into her pocket and made her way out of her room and over the dining room.

She wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary which is why she couldn't keep her mouth from opening slightly in surprise when she found a romantic gourmet dinner for two set up with candles dimly glowing in the center of the table and rose petals scattered all around them. Klaus had been on the balcony connected to the dining room and walked through the double french doors to come back inside when he had heard her enter.

"What is all this?" she stared at him, her eyes wide in amazement.

He walked up to her and took both her hands in his. "I know I hurt your feelings earlier when I turned down your idea. Consider this my apology."

"I don't know what to say. I mean...I do. Duh. Apology accepted of course," she laughed with a slight shake of her head. "I just…this is amazing. Thank you."

"I'm glad to hear you say that. Shall we?" he motioned to the table. Cassandra nodded and allowed him to pull out her chair before she sat down.

"How did you know?" Cassandra asked him once he'd taken his seat beside her.

"A thousand years of observing people, love," he grinned at her.

"Right, of course," she laughed meekly.

Klaus picked up his glass of wine and motioned for her to pick up hers. "Here's to a marvelous evening after an otherwise wonderful day with a beautiful woman."

Cassandra softly tapped her glass against Klaus's with a smile before bringing it to her lips to take a sip. She glanced down at the plate of food in front of her and could hardly wait to taste everything as the delightful aromas floated up to her nose.

"Bon appétit," Klaus told her with a warm smile. She grinned and picked up her fork.

The conversation while they ate was light. His use of the simple french phrase sparked Cassandra's curiosity of what other languages he knew which lead to his listing and demonstrating them. The thing that astounded her the most was how he and his siblings had to learn to adapt with the evolving languages century after century.

"That is an insanely long list of languages," Cassandra laughed softly.

"Well, you asked," Klaus grinned back at her.

She wiped her mouth with her napkin after finishing her final bite of food. "I know, I know. I didn't take the extra few seconds to think about the answer in terms of a span of a thousand years."

"That's alright, love. I didn't mind listing them."

Cassandra had to refrain herself from throwing her napkin at him. Instead, she wrinkled her nose at him and brought her glass up to her lips, finishing the last bit of wine. Seeing her empty glass, Klaus reached for the bottle of wine and poured her some more before adding a little more to his glass.

"Thanks," she murmured softly, swirling the wine around in the glass a few times to allow some air to get into it before taking a small sip.

Her eyes casually fell upon the doors to the balcony. Wordlessly, she stood up and took her wine glass with her as she walked over to the doors and opened them to step outside. She set her glass down on the ledge and stared out at the dark night sky that twinkled with stars. Her lips curled into a smile when she felt a presence beside her.

"The sky is so pretty tonight," Cassandra gazed upward.

"Mmm. It certainly is," Klaus agreed. "Do you know your constellations?"

"Not as well as I'd like. I can point out the dippers," she paused and started pointing. "There's the big dipper, Ursa Major, and there's the little dipper, Ursa Minor. The other one I know how to find is Orion by using the three stars that make up his belt as a point of reference. Right…there. But that's it."

"That's not a bad start," Klaus smiled. He glanced at the sky for a long moment, searching for something. When he finally spotted what he was looking for, he moved so he was slightly behind her and reached for her right hand, using her finger to point out the constellation. "You see those seven stars?"

Cassandra had been momentarily stunned by his hand against hers, but she quickly recovered and tried to see what he saw. After a few repetitions, she finally found it. "Oh! There it is." As she lowered her hand back to her side Klaus slid his hand up her arm and rested it on her shoulder.

"That is the the Corona Borealis, the Northern Crown," he murmured softly in her ear. "The way the story goes is this king of Crete, Minos, had a great labyrinth built to confine a ferocious beast. Each year as a tribute to Athens, King Minos had twelve of the most beautiful or handsome young people placed in the labyrinth as food for the beast. In one of these groups was Theseus, King of Athens. Minos' daughter Ariadne fell in love with Theseus and offered to help him with the labyrinth if he would take her away with him when he escaped. He agreed. She gave him a ball of magical thread to take into the labyrinth so that when he killed the beast he'd be able to find his way back out. Theseus was successful and took Ariadne with him. Then he abandoned her on the island of Naxos and sailed to his home. On the island, Dionysus, the God of Wine and Parties, came to her aid. He fell in love with her and treated her with great tenderness. He had a crown made for her with one each of the seven most beautiful jewels to ever be found mounted in it. When Ariadne died, Zeus placed her crown in the sky and changed the seven jewels to seven stars, which is what you are now looking at, the Corona Borealis or Northern Crown."

"Wow," Cassandra breathed softly, turning her head toward Klaus, a look of awe on her face. "That's so beautiful. To be betrayed like that after going out of her way to help, then to be rescued and loved the way she deserved to be."

"Exactly," Klaus gazed back at her.

He slowly brought his other hand up to the side of her face and stroked her cheek gently with his thumb. His eyes flickered onto her lips for the tiniest moment, causing Cassandra's heart to flutter, before moving back to her eyes. As he slowly leaned in she could feel her heart begin to quicken inside her chest. As his nose brushed against hers with a featherlike touch, her breath hitched in her throat. Her eyes fluttered shut as his lips cautiously brushed up against hers. She thought her heart was going to burst through her chest from the subtle contact. Time seemed to slow to a stop as he pressed his lips more firmly to hers after the initial contact. They were so much softer and warmer than she ever imagined.

Cassandra slowly turned towards him, placing her left hand against his shoulder as she pressed her lips back against his. He let go of her right hand and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. She brought the arm she had at her side up to his other shoulder and slowly wrapped both arms around his neck. He sucked on her bottom lip for a second before lightly dragging the tip of his tongue along the soft surface. She slowly parted her lips, sighing softly as their tongues met for the very first time. She could taste the smallest hint of wine on his breath as they explored each other's mouth. The hand he had against her cheek moved to the back of her head, his fingers entangling themselves in her blonde hair.

She was so completely lost in the moment that she didn't notice when their surroundings suddenly changed (thanks to Klaus's vampire speed) until her calf brushed up against the couch in the parlor. He slowly guided her down to a sitting position before slowly leaning her back against the arm of the couch. She kept her mouth connected to his until her lungs were screaming for air. When she pulled away to take a breath she started to open her eyes to look at Klaus, but they quickly fluttered shut again when he started a trail of kisses from her jaw to her neck. She tilted her head to the side slightly, giving him better access. She tried and failed to suppress a soft moan when he gently nipped and sucked her delicate skin.

Not wanting Klaus to leave a mark, she moved her head forward and recapture his lips with her own again, sucking on his bottom lip like he'd did with hers. As their tongues met again and battled for dominance, he ran his hands up and down her sides sending ripples of heat through her whole body. Without taking the time to think about the implications of her actions, Cassandra moved her legs onto the couch, allowing Klaus to hover over her. He moved a hand down to her hip and slowly trailed it down to her knee. As he started to lift her leg to hitch it around his hip, Rebekah suddenly burst into the room.

"Nik do you—woah!" Rebekah stopped abruptly as soon as she saw Klaus and Cassandra on the couch. Her face slowly broke out into a smirk as she folded her arms across her chest." Well, you two have certainly been busy, haven't you?"

Cassandra immediately pulled away from Klaus the moment she heard Rebekah's voice and shifted to a sitting position. She avoided Rebekah's face as heat rose in her cheeks.

"What do you want Rebekah?" Klaus scowled at her as he leaned back into the other end of the couch, clearly irritated at her for interrupting his steamy moment with Cassandra.

"Oh, it can wait. This is far more entertaining," she skipped over to one of the chairs across from the couch and gracefully stretched out on it, her legs dangling over one of the arms. "Go ahead and carry on. Don't mind me."

"Rebekah," Klaus hissed, giving her a glare that clearly said leave.

"It's okay," Cassandra finally found her voice. "I think I'm gonna call it an early night."

There was a flash of disappointment in Klaus's eyes, but it quickly faded. "Alright," he nodded slowly.

"Thank you for an incredible day," she murmured as she reached out and placed her hand on the side of his face.

He placed a hand on top of hers. "It was my pleasure."

She smiled and leaned in, pressing her lips against his in a short, gentle kiss. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight, love," he smiled.

She slowly stood from the couch and made her way out of the parlor, flashing him one last smile before walking through the doorway. When she got back to her room, she shut door and flopped onto her bed with a dreamy sigh. She closed her eyes, reliving the moment when Klaus had first kissed her and everything after that. It was by far the single most amazing kiss she'd ever experienced, which she attributed to the fact that he was a thousand-year-old half vampire, half werewolf hybrid with centuries of experience. Any other day, the thought of how vastly more experienced he was than her would have left her feeling a lot more self aware of her substantially less accrued experience, but that night she was too high on cloud nine to give it much thought.

Somehow, she was able to pull herself off of the bed a little while later so that she could take a shower before curling up in bed to read Pride and Prejudice until she could barely keep her eyes open.

* * *

Two Days Later

Stefan lounged in a chair in the library at the Boarding house, slowly nursing a glass of bourbon. A quiet moment passed before Damon entered, the stairs to the library creaking under his feet as he stepped down on them.

"Little early in the day for you, isn't it?" Damon eyed the glass in his brother's hand as he walked around the furniture, holding something big, flat, and wrapped in brown kraft paper in his hand.

"Just having a little toast," Stefan answered lightly.

"To what?"

"Control."

Damon stopped once he reached Stefan and propped the long, flat parcel on the couch beside his brother, a smile of his own tugging at his lips. "If you're happy, I'm happy."

Stefan set his glass down on the end table next to his chair and propped his elbows on the chair arms as he loosely folded his hands. "Why are you in such a good mood? Sage double crossed you, tree's a pile of ash, Alaric's got a psychopathic alter ego."

"You know, Stefan, I'm a philanthropist. I make the world a better place. Restoring bridges, landmarks, and," he paused and dramatically pulled the brown kraft paper off the object he had carried in the room, revealing the Wickery Bridge sign. "Historical signs made of the same white oak as the Wickery Bridge."

Stefan slowly rose from his chair, a look of complete surprise on his face at how they now had the upper hand again. "They think all the wood burned," he murmured softly as he gazed at the sign.

"I sold my rage. Phew. You should have seen me," Damon smirked.

"We have a weapon," Stefan's eyes glowed with a renewed, fight-filled energy in them.

"Game's back on, brother," Damon had a wicked sparkle in his eyes. "Let's go kill some Originals.


	12. Revenge Is Sweet

**I'm so glad you guys enjoyed that last chapter. This one's pretty action packed. There might be a few more crumbs eluding to Cassandra's history with Damon as well, so keep your eyes pealed for that. Thank you again for continuing to read and comment on this. I can't believe I passed the 200 follows mark! Wow!**

* * *

 **Chapter 12 - Revenge Is Sweet**

Cassandra took a deep breath before climbing out of her car. She made sure to lock it up before checking that her scarf was in place and her coat was buttoned up. With one last fleeting glance at her reflection in the window, she began the trek into the woods. Elena had called her asking if they could meet up because she had to tell her something having to do with her father. With Klaus and Rebekah hunting down their oldest brother Finn in another town, there was nothing stopping her from making the trip to the woods behind the Salvatore Boarding House. Why the woods of all places was a mystery to her, a mystery she planned on asking Elena about once they met up.

She spotted the young brunette a minute later standing next to a giant tree. Her face broke out into a small smile as she neared, but when she realized Elena wasn't alone, her expression dropped. She thought about high tailing it back to her car, but her curiosity at what Elena had to say about her father got the better of her.

"Elena? What's going on? What's _she_ doing here?" Cassandra scowled at her younger sister before turning back to Elena.

"Look, I know you're still mad Caroline for what she tried to do, and you have every reason to be, but what I have to say you both need to hear. It's about your dad. I know who killed him."

Cassandra found the will to put her personal feelings towards her sister aside while Elena told them all about how Alaric's Gilbert ring had started to affect him and how the same thing had happened to Elena's ancestor Samantha Gilbert.

"Alaric Saltzman killed our father?" Caroline whispered after Elena had finished. Cassandra could barely believe it herself.

"I can't expect either of you to be okay with this," Elena looked from Caroline to Cassandra as they walked casually through the woods. "But at least these herbs that Bonnie's giving him, they're healing him and they're keeping the dark side buried."

"Yeah, and that's supposed to make everything okay?" Cassandra snapped as a sob began to bubble in her chest. She started to walk away from them when Elena stopped her.

"No, Cass," Elena grabbed her arm, causing Cassandra to turn around to face her. "It's not okay. It's horrible and I feel horrible about it, but he's a victim of something supernatural. He didn't ask for this, it just happened to him. Just like Bonnie's mom, I mean, she didn't ask to become a vampire. And…neither did Stefan or Tyler."

"Or me," Caroline added softly.

Elena turned to Caroline and nodded slowly. "Or you. None of you asked for this, but who would I be if I just turned my back on any of you?"

Cassandra let out a long sigh before linking arms with Elena. "Oh, Elena Gilbert."

"Savior of the cursed and the damned," Caroline hooked her arm around Elena's other arm. The three girls chuckled softly as they started to walk along arm in arm.

A moment later Matt walked up to them. "Hey. What's with the cryptic secret meeting text?" He asked them.

"Secret meeting text?" Cassandra glanced around at Elena, Caroline, and Matt in confusion.

"I don't know," Elena shrugged. "Stefan just said to meet here. That's why I told you to meet me here. You didn't get a message from him?"

Cassandra was about to say the word 'no' when Stefan and Damon appeared.

"What's _she_ doing here?" Damon took one look at Cassandra and whooshed so that he was standing right behind her.

Cassandra barely had time to jump in surprise before Damon had an arm tightly around her neck. She heard everyone around her gasping in shock. Her hands immediately started to hit his arm, begging to be released, but then she started seeing little black spots all around her before becoming totally consumed by darkness and falling limp in his arms.

"Relax," Damon told the group as he carefully laid a now unconscious Cassandra on the ground. "She'll be fine. She's just taking a little nap."

"Was that really necessary, Damon?" Elena asked.

"Well it wouldn't have been if you hadn't invited her here. We can't have her blabbing to her new Original Hybrid boyfriend Klaus about the white oak we found."

"Hang on. White oak?" she gasped in surprise. "You have a weapon that can kill Klaus?"

"Nope. We all have a weapon," Stefan threw down the duffle bag he'd been carrying and opened it to reveal a dozen white oak steaks inside.

* * *

Cassandra slowly blinked and opened her eyes as a soft moan left her lips. She slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position and looked around. No one was around except for Stefan who turned around when he heard her stirring and knelt down beside her.

"What the hell…" Cassandra mumbled as she gently rubbed her neck. When she saw Stefan she let out a startled gasp.

"It's okay," he told her in a gentle voice. "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise."

She nodded her head slowly. "Where did everyone go?"

"Back to town. I offered to stay behind with you. I was hoping we could talk," he extended his hand to help her up.

She started at it for a long moment before slipping her hand into his and allowing him to pull her up to her feet. He waited to speak again while she brushed herself off and smoothed out her hair.

"So, what did you want to talk to me about?" she asked him once she was sure she'd gotten all dirt off her backside and hair.

"I owe you a huge apology," his voice was full of sincerity. "I am so sorry for attacking you on prank night. I had no control over myself at the time."

"Yeah, I know Klaus forced you to flip your humanity switch. Damon explained it."

"I don't want you to be afraid of me. I'm not that monster anymore. Just ask Elena."

"I...I believe you," she cracked a tiny smile. "And I forgive you. This version of you. He's a lot like the guy I remember meeting at Christmas last year. I'm glad he's back."

"Me too," he smiled back at her.

"Now your brother on the other hand, I'm not so sure I'll forgive him for that choke hold he pulled on me back there," she gently rubbed the side of her neck as they began walking back in the direction of her car.

"I had no idea he was going to that. Elena shouldn't have asked you to come out here."

"Yeah, about that—"

"I can't tell you what you want to know," he kept his eyes focused on their path.

Cassandra let out a frustrated sigh. "You know what that tells me? That whatever you don't want me to know has something to do with Klaus and if I knew what it was…yeah, I probably would tell him about it."

When Stefan remained silent it only further confirmed her suspicions. The rest of the walk to her car was silent. When they reached it, she thanked Stefan for staying behind and walking her to her car and climbed into the driver's seat. He shut the door for her and watched her drive off.

Cassandra pulled up to Klaus's mansion ten minutes later. She noticed a familiar black SUV as she came to a stop and climbed out of her car which meant that he and Rebekah were back from their little trip. She hurried up the steps to the front doors and pulled them open before going inside. She was anxious to see Klaus and tell him about what had happened in the woods.

She walked into the main hall and found Klaus and Rebekah at the foot of one of the grand staircases while a man she figured to be Finn was embracing a woman she'd never seen before on the middle of the stairs.

"Easier than torturing him," Klaus glanced up at Rebekah as he hit send on his phone. His head snapped in Cassandra's direction when she approached, a smile slowly forming on his lips. "There you are. I was wondering where you'd disappeared to."

"Oh. Yeah, after you left, Elena asked me to meet her to talk about some discoveries she made regarding my father's death." Cassandra told him. She went on to tell him what Elena had told her about the Gilbert rings and how they had affected Elena's ancestor and now Alaric. "It was Alaric."

"Ah yes, the history teacher who loaned me his body at the beginning of the school year," Klaus nodded with a soft chuckle. "So he has an alter ego who kills people."

"Yeah. Luckily, Bonnie was able to use magic to create an herb mixture to heal him as long as he drinks it," she continued.

"So you don't need me to go and kill him then I take it?" He joked, earning an annoyed scoff from Rebekah and a soft laugh from Cassandra.

"Heh, no. I don't," she shook her head slightly. "There's uh...something else you should know, though."

"And what's that?" he raised his eyebrows curiously.

"They're up to something. I don't know what, but whatever it is, they don't want me to know about it which tells me it has everything to do with you," she paused to take a breath. "Elena asked me to meet her in the woods behind the Salvatore's house. I thought it was an odd place to meet, but I was too curious about what she had to say to question it. When I found her, Caroline was with her too, but that's not the part I was referring to. Matt showed up and made a comment about cryptic secret texts from Stefan, and _that_ is when I realized something was up. When Stefan and Damon showed up they were not happy to see me there."

"Well, why would they be if they're conspiring against us again," Rebekah noted. "So do you know what they're planning? Were you able to get anything out of them?"

"Unfortunately no. Damon grabbed me from behind and knocked me out with a choke hold before anyone could speak, and when I came to everyone had left except for Stefan." When Cassandra saw Klaus's eyes darken with rage, she reached for his hand and laced their fingers together, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm fine. I promise. And, on the plus side, Stefan and I were able to to clear the air between us. I'm not afraid of him anymore."

The touch of her hand settled Klaus's inner raging werewolf. He gently squeezed her hand back as he spoke in a softer voice. "I can see that you are. I can't say the same will remain true for Damon Salvatore the next time our paths cross."

"Not that I don't love a good revenge plot, but I have something to do," she sighed, bored. "Nik, What do you need from me for this spell?"

Klaus turned his head towards Rebekah. "Just your blood and your blessing. Where are you going?"

"I have some unfinished business with Damon Salvatore as a matter of fact. Ask Sage what he did to me. Then you'll understand why retribution is in order." Rebekah explained, nodding in the direction of stairs where Finn and the woman were. "Don't worry, Nik. You can have your turn once I'm done."

Cassandra shook her head as Rebekah left. On some level she knew it was wrong to think it, but she was glad Rebekah was going to give Damon a little payback for the stunts he'd been pulling lately, though she couldn't begin to imagine what exactly the Original Vampire had in store.

Klaus eyed his older brother and Sage on the staircase for a moment before turning back to Cassandra. "Come. There's something I could use your help with."

She nodded and allowed him to lead her up the second staircase. They made their way down the long hallway and stopped when they came to the parlor. When they walked through the doorway, Cassandra froze as her eyes landed on Bonnie sitting in one of the leather chairs, a thick, closed book resting in front of her on the coffee table.

"Bonnie?" Cassandra gasped, causing Bonnie to immediately snap her head up.

"Cass!" Bonnie's eyes widened in a big, help-me sort of way.

Cassandra started to let go of Klaus's hand and walk to Bonnie when he pulled her back.

"Wait," he turned her around to face him. "I need her to cast a spell that will unlink my siblings and me. She isn't being very cooperative, and I thought perhaps you could convince her that doing as I ask is in her best interest."

Cassandra nodded slowly. "I'll see what I can do"

"Thank you, love," Klaus flashed her an appreciative smile before leaning in and brushing his lips against hers in a quick kiss. "I'll give you two a few minutes before checking back in."

"So, you and Klaus are like a thing now?" Bonnie asked once he'd left the room. "Uck!"

"Yeah. I guess you could say that. Anyway," Cassandra shook away the thoughts that started to make her heart flutter and tried to refocus her attention on what needed to be done. "I don't want to talk about that. You gotta do the spell Bonnie. And don't tell me you can't. I know what you're capable of."

When Bonnie remained silent, Cassandra walked over and leaned against the arm of the chair she was sitting in. She nudged Bonnie's shoulder softly with her own. "I'm sorry he's keeping you here against your will. All you gotta do is cast the unlinking spell and then you can leave. We both know the lengths he'll go to in order to get what he wants, and I know neither of us want to see anyone get caught in the crossfire."

"Then why are you with him? If you know what he's capable of, what he's done, how can you even—"

"It's complicated, Bonnie. He's different when he's with me, and I can't...I won't ignore that."

Bonnie sighed heavily as she reached for the book on the coffee table and and opened it on her lap.

"I saw Caroline this morning. And Elena," Cassandra blurted after a long moment of silence.

This got Bonnie's attention. She looked up from what she was doing. "Did Elena…"

"Tell us about Alaric. Yeah. Still processing that. I wanted to thank you for what you're doing to help him with the herbs."

Bonnie nodded slowly. "How'd it go seeing Caroline?"

"I had no idea she was going to be there, so it was a bit of a surprise at first. We didn't really talk directly to each other, it was mostly to Elena, but I guess we kind of shared a group hug just before Matt showed up. Then again, it wasn't really a hug." Cassandra shrugged.

"It's a start at least."

"Yeah, I guess."

"She misses you, you know. She knows how badly she screwed up."

"She betrayed my trust in her. Repairing something like that takes time. When I'm ready to talk to her, I will," Cassandra folded her arms across her chest.

"Okay. Message received," Bonnie nodded. A moment later, she finally found the page she was looking for.

Cassandra remained silent as Bonnie looked over the spell. A few long seconds of silence passed.

"Tick tock. I should hear chanting by now," Klaus's voice broke the silence as he walked into the room and stood behind the chair Bonnie was seated in.

"She'll do the spell," Cassandra looked over her shoulder at Klaus, then eyed Bonnie. "Right, Bonnie?"

"I'm still studying the unlinking spell," Bonnie grumbled as she stared the open book. "It's not that easy, especially under duress."

Klaus placed his hands on the top of the chair and leaned down to say something to Bonnie, but at the last second he turned to Cassandra. "Love, I need to speak to Bonnie alone for a moment. Could you…."

Cassandra sighed softly and rose to her feet. She wanted to protest, but she knew it would be pointless. She was also certain she wouldn't like whatever it was he wanted to say to Bonnie without her in the room. After walking through the double doors, she thought about hanging around to eavesdrop, but she figured Klaus was listening to her footsteps and let the thought pass.

As she reached the grand staircases, she could hear faint noise coming from somewhere downstairs. Against her better judgement she scurried down the steps to investigate. When she got to the doorway leading to the ballroom she froze, gasping in horror at the sight of Damon being held up with his arms locked in two bear traps that were dangling from the ceiling. His shirt was unbuttoned, and his chest was all cut and bloody, as were his wrists.

"Oh my god! Damon!" Cassandra ran up to the edge of the tarp that had been placed beneath him to catch the blood.

"Yes, he is quite the sight, isn't he?" Rebekah slowly walked over from the other side of the room.

"Torturing him? That was your unfinished business?" Cassandra gazed wide eyed at the blonde vampire.

"Not at all. But, in order to carry out my plan I had to bleed him of vervain."

"Oh my god. You're going to compel him."

"Ding ding ding. Give the girl a prize," Rebekah flashed Cassandra a devilish grin. "The only thing I've yet to decide is who to compel him to kill. There's Stefan. Or Elena. Or even you.

"M-me?" Cassandra stammered as her eyes widened in fear.

Rebekah's face broke out into a smile as she started laughing. "Oh relax, love. I was only joking about having him kill you. If I did that, my brother would kill _me_ , and that is the last thing _I_ want. I just wanted to see the look on your face. Thank you for not disappointing."

Cassandra let out a sigh of relief. "Wow. Um…you're welcome?" Her eyes moved back to Damon. His eyes were closed. "Is he asleep?"

"I gave him a nice little day dream," Rebekah nodded. Cassandra eyed her with a confused expression. "My siblings and I can telepathically induce dreams in anyone. We can also see memory flashes and share our own. Only the oldest vampires are strong enough to do it. Damon here, he's not strong enough to get into my head. He had to use my brother Finn's old lover, Sage, to do it."

"That's why you told Klaus to ask Sage about what happened."

"Indeed. Now then, by my calculations, Damon should be coming out of the dream right about…"

Damon's eye slowly opened as he groaned softly. "Ooh. Bitch."

"It's not fun when someone messes with your thoughts, is it?" Rebekah walked over and stood in front of him.

He groaned again as he raised his head to look at her. "Actually, I was having a pretty good time in there."

"Of course you were," Cassandra rolled her eyes. Damon's eyes flashed onto Cassandra, noticing her presence for the first time.

"Cassandra," he murmured, "What are you doing here?"

"She's being a captive audience," Rebekah answered before Cassandra could say anything. "Actually, having her here is rather fitting. She and I are both part of the 'Girl's hurt by Damon Club'."

"That's not actually—" Cassandra started to say.

"Riiight. I knocked you out this morning," Damon recalled. "Didn't realize you were still mad about that."

"Well, I hope you were nicer to Elena in that little dream than you were to either of us," Rebekah narrowed her eyes at him.

"Oh, come oh. I couldn't have hurt you that bad. You didn't really think I had a thing for you, did you?" The look on Rebekah's face said otherwise. Damon stared at her. "I get it. If Klaus bossed me around for a thousand years, I'd probably be pretty desperate for attention too."

Rebekah stared at him for a long moment before stabbing in in the gut with the knife she'd been holding. Cassandra screamed and clapped a hand over her mouth as Damon coughed and cried out in pain. Rebekah twisted the knife a bit before pulling it back out.

Damon coughed again and took a few slow breaths. "You know, you could learn a thing or two from that one about having sex without getting attached." He told Rebekah as she started to walk away.

"Damon!" Cassandra's eyes widened. "Oh my god, you did not just say that!"

Rebekah stopped moving and stared at Cassandra in disbelief. "Wait a second. You and Damon slept together? When did this happen?"

Cassandra groaned as she covered her face. "Oh god." She dropped her hands and glared at Damon. "I loathe you Damon Salvatore!"

"You'll get over it," he flashed a weak smirk.

"Doubtful," Cassandra shook her head before slowly meeting Rebekah's gaze. "The summer before I went off to college, my closest friends and I took a trip to New York to celebrate making it through high school. One of the nights we were there we were at this club, and I bumped into Damon there. We got to talking, found out we had Mystic Falls in common, and one thing lead to another."

"Don't forget about the dancing. And the body shots," Damon chimed in. Cassandra flashed in a glare.

"Well, I certainly never would have guessed the two of you shared a bed." Rebekah mused.

"You can't tell anyone," Cassandra pleaded with her eyes. "Not Stefan. Not Elena or Caroline. And especially not Klaus."

"Oh? And why can't I tell my brother? I think he deserves to know about your sordid little tryst before getting too involved with you. I can tell you all about his past romantic endeavors and even the slate out."

"No!" Cassandra shook her head rapidly. "I don't want to know about who he's been with and I don't want him know about who I've been with. I'm not ashamed. I just…I'm afraid he'd kill Damon if he knew and I don't think Damon deserves to die for it."

"I suppose that's true. Very well. I'll keep your little secret…for now," Rebekah decided. "I'm going to go find out if that witch has finished casting that spell. I'll be right back."

Cassandra watched Rebekah walk out of the ballroom. She heard Rebekah say something followed by the sound of Klaus's voice and spun around to meet his and a very horrified Bonnie's eyes.

"What's she doing in there?" Klaus glared at his sister.

"Don't look at me like that, Nik. She came in her own. She's been free to leave the entire time. It's not my fault she chose to stick around and keep me company," Rebekah rolled her eyes.

"We'll discuss this more later," Klaus told her before turning his attention back to Bonnie. "Go on. Help him. Save the man who turned your mother into a vampire."

Cassandra could see the torn look on Bonnie's face, part of her wanting to help Damon, the other hating him for turning her mother. Ultimately, the part that was angry at him won out as she asked to leave. Cassandra waited a beat before walking back over to Damon.

"Think she'll give Elena and your brother a heads up that you're here?" she asked him.

"It's a good bet," he answered.

Cassandra bit her lip. She really wanted to help Damon, but she was undeniably terrified of what Rebekah would do if she got caught. Oh, Klaus would come to her rescue for sure, but then she'd without a doubt be on Rebekah's enemy list, and she didn't want that.

"I'm so sorry about this Damon," she sighed as she sunk down to the floor and leaned against the wall nearest to him. "If I'd known this was her plan for you, I would have given you a heads up."

"Don't do that. Don't blame yourself. You didn't cause this. I did," Damon told her.

"Fine. Feel like telling me what the whole secret meeting this morning was all about?"

"Nope."

"I had a feeling that's what you'd say. Still had to try though."

"You just gonna sit there, or will you help me get out of these before the she-devil and your boyfriend come back?" Damon asked softly.

"Uh…" Cassandra hesitated as she stared at Damon. Seeing him so bloody, battered, and weak tugged at her heartstrings. After several seconds she couldn't stand it any longer and jumped to her feet. "Screw it. I can't stand to see you like this anymore."

She carefully stepped onto the tarp and made her way over to him. She reached up to unlock one of the traps clenched on his wrists. Right as her fingers started to graze the metal she heard footsteps and quickly turned around to see who they belonged to.

"Stefan," she breathed in relief. Stefan slowly walked up to the tarp as he carried the duffle bag Cassandra recognized from the woods that morning, his eyes on his brother.

"This was much different in my head," Damon muttered when saw Stefan.

"Klaus! I'm here!" Stefan shouted. Cassandra quickly moved off the tarp as Stefan turned around to meet Klaus and Rebekah who entered the room. "Let's do this."

"Oh, good. A hero. What do you want?" Klaus wore a smirk on his face that sent a chill down Cassandra's spine. He eyed Cassandra, no doubt wondering why she was still in the room, then focused back on the youngest Salvatore.

Stefan tossed the bag he'd been carrying down on the floor in front of Klaus. "I'm here to make a deal."

"Stefan what are you doing?" Damon mumbled weakly, his eyes closed.

"Eight stakes made of white oak. The part of Wickery Bridge that you forgot to burn," Stefan continued, ignoring Damon.

"That's what the secret meeting this morning was about!" Cassandra muttered under her breath as Klaus slowly turned his head to his sister, a frown on his face.

"That's impossible," Rebekah shook her head.

"Actually, it's not. Finn's dead," Stefan continued.

"You killed my brother?" Rebekah asked horrified while Klaus stared back at Stefan in shock.

Stefan took a step towards Klaus. "Damon in exchange for the last eight weapons that can kill you."

"And how do I know there aren't any more left?" Klaus asked.

"Because there aren't."

"Let's be certain, shall we?" Klaus whispered. He walked around Stefan and over to Damon. "Leave."

"No," Damon refused.

"Go on. Leave," Klaus told him again.

"Nik, he's my play thing, not yours," Rebekah protested.

Cassandra jumped when Klaus grabbed Damon by the throat and compelled him. Her eyes widened in horror when she saw the helpless look in Damon's eyes before he began trying to pull his wrists out of the claw traps. Just as she was about to look away, she caught a glimpse of Klaus's grinning face and it made her skin crawl. _Oh my god, he's getting some sick, twisted pleasure out of this!_ She winced as Damon's yells filled the room. To her relief, Klaus stopped him a few seconds later.

"Wow. I see that you can finally be compelled. Now," Klaus carefully stepped over the pools of blood and grabbed Damon's chin, compelling him. "Minus the stake that's in my brother, how many more stakes are out there that can kill me?"

"Eleven," Damon answered slowly.

"Eleven! Really? So, not eight then?" Klaus slowly turned to glare at Stefan. Cassandra groaned inwardly. She should have known he wouldn't bring all of the stakes with him.

"You really shouldn't have lied," Rebekah shook her head at Stefan.

"I'll get you the other three," Stefan told him.

"Yeah that would be nice. Or since you lied, maybe I'll just compel your brother to chew out his own tongue," Klaus spat.

Cassandra suddenly wanted to be anywhere but in that room. She didn't like hearing him make vulgar threats. She flinched when he started to raise his voice at Stefan.

"Do you really have no appreciation for me? I have given you someone to hate; a target, for all of your anger. So you don't have to turn it on yourself. I have given your life purpose, as your friend," Klaus walked past Stefan, then turned around with a laugh. "I really think you should be thanking me."

Stefan let out a feral growl as he rushed at Klaus and pinned him against wall, a white oak stake in his hand. Cassandra couldn't stop herself from screaming and clamping a hand over her mouth.

Klaus immediately grabbed Stefan's wrist, keeping him from doing anything with the stake. "Step down or you both die," he ordered in a low, firm voice. After a second, Stefan slowly relinquished the white oak stake to Klaus and stepped back. "There. Now you only have to get me the other two."

"This is ridiculous," Rebekah had finally had enough and went over to Damon, releasing his wrists from the bear traps.

"What are you doing?" Klaus walked towards her as Damon fell to his knees.

"I brought him here. I get to release him. My rules now," she paused and turned to Stefan. "Bring us the stakes and you both live. Take your brother as a sign of good faith."

Rebekah reached down for the duffle bag full of stakes and began walking out of the ballroom. Cassandra took the opportunity and followed after her. She exhaled deeply once she reached the staircase and quickly made her way upstairs to her room. She quietly shut the door and sat down on the bed as she slowly processed everything she'd witnessed. She had no idea how long she'd been sitting there, staring at the floor, when a light knock at the door stirred her from her thoughts.

"Come in," she said softly, lifting her head. For once she was thankful for vampire hearing because she didn't have to shout.

The door opened slowly, and Klaus walked in. He came over and took a seat beside her on the bed.

"I'm sorry you had to see all of that," he reached down and took her hand in his.

"So am I. I'm still trying to wrap my mind around seeing that side of you with my own eyes after hearing so much about it from everyone. It's one thing to hear about it second hand, but to witness it first hand is entirely different," Cassandra looked up at him.

"You know none of it was directed towards you, right?" he stroked the top of her hand with his thumb.

"Yeah, I know. Doesn't make it any less unnerving, though. I didn't like the guy I saw being aggressive and making death threats. I prefer the man I danced with at the ball and went horseback riding with. I know, I know. Both are part of the same coin. I can't have one without the other. I just need time to let it sink in. Better to realize it now rather than later anyway." _Before my feelings for you grow too deep and I'm affected much more differently._

"I didn't want you to see that side of me. Why do you think I wanted you to leave before I spoke to Bonnie alone?"

"I know. Believe me, _I know._ I wish I had gone straight out the front door instead of checking out the noises I heard coming from downstairs."

"I've already had words with my sister for allowing you to stay after you discovered Damon."

"I should have tried to leave, but I think I was afraid she would try to stop me. I also didn't want to leave Damon alone."

"I'm surprised you could stand to be near him after what he did to you this morning."

"I may have been mad at him for it, but I never wanted him to be tortured for payback. Maybe a reciprocating head lock, a few decent punches, but never hung from animal traps and bled practically to death.

"Is that so?" Klaus chuckled softly. "I'll be sure to remember that."

"I was so scared when Stefan lunged at you with the stake he had up his sleeve," Cassandra leaned her head down and propped her chin on his shoulder.

"I know," Klaus whispered. "I heard your scream and saw the look of terror in your eyes. I could easily rip out Stefan's heart for frightening you so."

"I have to be honest with you," Cassandra lifted her head back up to look at him again. "I don't know how I'd handle either of them dying by your hands. I may not be that close to them, but my sister and her friends are. They're the ones that would suffer from such a loss, and _that_ would bring me pain. I hope it's a bridge I'/ never have to cross."

Klaus brought his other hand up to her face and gently brushed the back of his fingers against her check. "I'm not making any promises, but I will take it under advisement."

"I guess that's all I can ask for," she gave him a weak smile. "I'm sorry about your brother."

"Don't be, love. He hated what we'd been turned into and loathed us all for embracing it. He spent more time in a coffin then he did living."

"Oh. Okay."

"Well, it's been a long day. I think I'll let you get some rest," He slowly rose to his feet, pulling Cassandra up with him. She walked with him over to the door and allowed him to pull her into a warm embrace. He murmured goodnight and captured her lips with his own in a quick kiss before leaving her alone in her room.


	13. Come Away With Me

**Chapter 13 - Come Away With Me**

"You want me to _what?_ " Cassandra yelped in surprise over the phone she held up to her ear. She was sitting in her car in the driveway of the Salvatore's Boarding House. She had to practically beg Klaus to let her go without him after everything that had transpired the night before. She wanted…no _needed_ to speak to Alaric after what she'd learned from Elena. As she had pulled up to the boarding house, she'd received a call from Rebekah.

"With Mr. Saltzman being unfit to attend the Decades Dance as a chaperon, I needed to come up with someone to take his place and I thought of you. You owe me for keeping your little secret from my brother anyway." Rebekah explained in a chirpy voice.

"Ugh, fine. I'll do it," Cassandra sighed.

"Excellent. Make sure you wear something befitting the elegance of the roaring twenties."

"Where am I gonna…" Cassandra started to ask but trailed off when she realized Rebekah had ended the call. She shook her head as she lowered her phone and slipped it into her purse. "Great. Now I have to add vintage dress shopping to my list of things to get done today."

She climbed out of her car with another sigh and headed to the front door. As she raised her hand to knock, the door suddenly opened, revealing Stefan.

"Hey," he gave her a small smile as he stepped aside to let her in. "Heard you coming."

"Ah, of course," she gave him a small smile back as she stepped inside. "Thanks for letting me do this."

"Sure," he shut the door behind her. "To be honest, I was surprised you called after everything that happened yesterday. How are you doing with all of that?"

"I'm doing all right. My head eventually stopped spinning. How's Damon?"

"He's fine. He and Elena took a little road trip to pick up Jeremy in Denver. Now that Klaus knows where he is, he isn't safe," he led her towards the door to the cellar.

"I had no idea he knew. I didn't…I never..." she stammered in a panic.

Stefan opened the door to the cellar. "None of us thought you did, don't worry."

"Oh good," Cassandra sighed in relief as she began to make her way down the stairs, Stefan hot on her heels. "How is he?"

"As well as can be expected," he led the way down a dank hall and stopped in front of a heavy, iron door with bars on the small window. He slowly unlocked the door and pushed it open. Cassandra slowly walked through the door and found Alaric sitting on a cot, an open book in his lap.

"Cassandra," Alaric looked up at her, surprised. "What are you doing here?"

"I'll just wait out here while you two talk," Stefan left the cell, shutting the door behind him.

"I wanted to come talk to you. Elena told me everything yesterday." Cassandra sat down in a small, metal chair that was next to the cot.

Alaric nodded slowly. "Yeah, Caroline kept me company yesterday and we talked about it. I am so, so sorry."

"I don't blame you, Ric. Not this you. I wanted…needed you to know that," she gave him a small smile.

"I appreciate that." He smiled back weakly. "Looks like you and Stefan are on better terms.

"Yeah. He apologized for almost killing me. I can tell he's in control again. He's good again. It makes a huge difference."

"He can also hear every word the two of you are saying," Stefan walked back into the cell with a smile on his face.

"You know, it's not polite to eavesdrop. I don't care what species you are," Cassandra put her hands on her hips. A moment later she broke out into a grin.

"Sorry. Couldn't help it once I heard my name come up."

"I forgive you. I should probably get going anyway. I need to find a dress for the Decades Dance. They were suddenly short a chaperon so Rebekah recruited me to fill the spot."

"Ah, sorry about that," Alaric gave Cassandra an apologetic smile.

She waved off his apology. "Oh, don't worry about it. I'm happy to do it." She didn't want to tell him the only thing she was dreading was being under the same roof as her sister for a long stretch of time. _Hmmm, might have to get Elena's help with making sure Caroline is kept busy at the dance,_ she decided

"I'll walk you out," Stefan told Cassandra as she rose to her feet.

"Good luck with uh...getting your alter ego to cooperate," Cassandra gave Alaric a small smile before following Stefan out of the cell. They walked up the stairs to the main floor in silence.

"I think it goes without saying that I really hope you're able to find that stake," Cassandra told him as they walked over to the front door.

"You and me both," Stefan nodded in agreement. He started to reach for the door handle, then changed his mind and turned slightly to face Cassandra, folding his arms loosely across his chest. "Caroline really misses you, you know."

Cassandra rolled her eyes, scoffing softly. "Stefan, please. Don't."

"I'm sorry," he gave her an apologetic glance. " I know it's a touchy subject. I also know what it's like to completely cut yourself off from a sibling. I went fifty years without talking to Damon. The last thing I want is to see that happen to you and Caroline. Just think about it okay? She can't start earning back your trust if you don't give her the chance to."

"Okay," she nodded slowly. As much as she wanted to, she couldn't deny that he'd made a valid point. "I'll think about it."

He gave her a small smile. "Good. Thank you." Finally, he opened the front door and stood on the front porch as she walked the rest of the way to her car.

She decided to head into town to try her luck at finding a Roaring Twenties style dress for the dance, though she had no high hopes for being successful the day before the school event. As she feared, the few stores that would normally have the type of dress she was searching for were completely sold out.

Next she decided to search on her phone for stores in the nearest neighboring towns, but they didn't have anything from the twenties either. The only thing she had left to try was asking Rebekah if she had anything she'd be willing to lend to her. She'd ask Klaus as a last and final resort.

When she pulled up to the mansion she saw Rebekah climbing out of Matt Donovan's big pickup truck She gave him a wave as she got out of her car and made her way over to Rebekah. "So I completely struck out in trying to find a flapper dress for the dance tomorrow night," Cassandra sighed as they went inside.

"Why don't you ask my brother to pull something out of one of his collections? I'm sure he'd be more than willing to," Rebekah suggested as they headed up the stairs.

"Because I thought I'd see if you'd be willing to help me, first."

"Oh. I see. Well, you're lucky you caught me in a pleasant mood. I'll—" Rebekah suddenly trailed off as they walked into the parlor, her eyes glued to a blonde woman standing in front of the fireplace. When the woman started to turn around to face them, Cassandra realized who she was as she recalled the memory of seeing her at the ball.

"Mother," Rebekah gasped softly in surprise. The next thing Cassandra knew, Rebekah had Esther pressed against the wall by the throat. Before addressing her mother, she turned her head slightly towards Cassandra. "Cassandra, there's a clothing rack in my room with a selection of dresses from my time in the twenties, all in pristine condition. Feel free to look through them and see if any are to your liking."

Cassandra nodded and quickly slipped out of the parlor, leaving Rebekah alone to deal with her mother. She stopped by her room to drop off her purse and headed farther down the long hall to Rebekah's suite. It was twice as big as her own room, which she thought was huge in itself. She quickly spotted the dress rack next to the enormous walk in closet and made her way over to it. She was amazed at the number of dresses Rebekah had on the rack and the variety of colors there were. She took her time pulling different dresses off and holding them up against her body to see where they fell against her legs. The amount of detail in each dress took her breath away. After an agonizing number of minutes, she finally decided on a black lace over turquoise satin dress with a mid-thigh fringe hem. It had a v-cut neckline with a dazzling rhinestone broach accenting the center bust. She had been holding it up to her body one last time to confirm her decision when Rebekah walked into the room.

"Excellent choice," Rebekah nodded as she eyed the dress. "The color suits you."

Cassandra draped the dress carefully over her arm as she turned toward her. "Thank you again for doing this."

"You're quite welcome. I'm glad I could help," Rebekah smiled. She eyed Cassandra for a moment, tapping her lips in thought. "I think you're missing a few things, though."

She disappeared into her walk-in closet and came back out a minute later with a very old chest in her arms. She set it on huge queen size bed and opened the lid. Cassandra's eyes widened in awe at all of the glamorous accessories she saw inside. Rebekah carefully pulled out a pair of black satin gloves, a long string of pearls, and a headband with a turquoise feather. She walked up to Cassandra and handed over the items she'd pulled out of the chest.

"Now you'll like you've come right out of a speakeasy from the twenties."

"Really, thank you Rebekah. I'm pretty sure I owe you big time. Again."

"Think nothing of it. Just a friend helping a friend."

"Oh, of course," Cassandra smiled in surprise.

Cassandra left the room, slightly stunned that Rebekah had called her a friend. When she got back to her room she hung the dress up in the closet and placed the accessories neatly on the dresser. As she was staring at her reflection in the mirror, she realized Rebekah hadn't said a word about why her mother was back in town. She knew Klaus needed to know about Esther's return and ran over to her purse to dig out her phone. She pulled up his number as she opened the door to her room and started to head down the hall towards Rebekah's room. Her thumb was hovering over her screen when she looked up and saw Klaus walking down the hall towards her.

"I was just going to call you," she lowered her hand as she approached him. "Your mother is back. She was here waiting when Rebekah and I arrived. They were alone talking in the—"

"My mother is dead," Klaus cut her off, a somber expression on his face.

"Oh...oh my god!" Cassandra gasped. "How? I just saw her looking alive and well not even an hour ago. Did Rebekah…"

"No. Losing her connection to the Bennett witch line left her weak. Her body shut down."

Cassandra closed the space between them, wrapping her arms around his neck. "I'm so sorry," she murmured, as he wrapped his arms around her frame. "I know she wanted you all dead, but she was still your mother."

"Yes, well now she's out of our hair for good," he leaned back so he could see her face.

"That's true," she nodded. "I wonder why Rebekah didn't say anything."

"She's probably still in shock over it. Now enough about that. How did your little chat with the vampire hunter go?"

"As well as can be expected, I guess. I'm glad I was able to speak to him. Now I feel like I can really heal and get on with my life."

"Good," his lips curled into a small smile.

They turned and began to head down the hall towards the kitchen. They were halfway there when Klaus's phone rang from inside his pocket.

"It's Kol. I'll meet you in there once I'm done talking to him," Klaus told her after he'd pulled his phone out to see who was calling. Cassandra nodded and left him in the hallway.

When she got to the kitchen, she took a moment to admire the beautiful space before walking over to the massive refrigerator to see what was inside that she could use to make something with. She grabbed an onion and a bunch of different bell peppers from the vegetable crisper and set them on the counter. She located a big pan, knife, and cutting board and went to work slicing the items she'd put on the counter. She was halfway through slicing a green bell pepper when she felt a pair of arms snake around her waist from behind and a pair of warm lips graze the exposed part of her neck.

"You know there are people here to do that kind of thing," Klaus whispered in Cassandra's ear, his silky voice sending a shiver through her body.

"I know," she worked to maintain her focus on her slicing and chopping. "I love to cook, and I thought I'd do something for you for a change after everything you've done for me."

"Well, I'm honored," Klaus chuckled before bringing his lips back down onto her neck.

Her eyes started to flutter closed while her hand holding the knife continued chopping, but she quickly caught herself and blinked a few times in an attempt to refocus.

"You know," she murmured with a chuckle, "You shouldn't distract me while I'm chopping vegetables on a cutting board. I could end up slicing my finger off by mistake."

"I'd just heal you," he grinned against her skin.

Cassandra shook her head slightly and attempted to continue slicing the rest of the pepper in front of her. Eventually Klaus's soft nipping and sucking on her skin became too intense to ignore. She set the knife down with a soft sigh.

"Klaus, please," she warned slightly.

He let out a resounding sigh and ceased his teasing. "All right, love. As you wish," he slowly let go of her and walked over to the refrigerator.

"Thank you!" she called over her shoulder as she went back to chopping.

"You're welcome," he replied as he opened the refrigerator door and pulled out a blood bag. He retrieved a glass tumbler from one of the cupboards and popped the plug on the blood bag before squeezing the blood into the glass. He brought the glass to his lips and took a generous drink. "I'd offer you some, love, but.."

"Not my kind of drink," Cassandra finished without looking up. "I'd take a beer or a glass of wine, though."

A few seconds passed before she heard the sound of the refrigerator opening and closing again. Then she felt Klaus's presence beside her. She looked over to see him standing with an open bottle of beer.

"Thanks," she smiled as she took the bottle from him and brought it to her lips to take a sip.

They chatted softly while she continued to cook, and a little while later, they enjoyed a tasty chicken stir-fry. Klaus was admittedly impressed with her skills in the kitchen and told she was welcome to use the kitchen whenever she wished.

-o-

Later that night, Cassandra found herself sitting crossed legged on her bed staring at her phone in her hand. She had Caroline's number pulled up and had been having an inner battle about calling her sister after having Stefan's words on repeat in her mind on and off for most of the day. She knew Stefan was right, that Caroline couldn't begin to earn her trust back if they didn't start talking again, but she couldn't shake the "what if" voice that chimed in every time she got close to hitting the dial button on her phone.

"Just do it Cass," she hissed softly at herself. "It's not like she can do anything over the phone anyway."

With a deep breath she quickly hit dial and brought the phone up to her ear before she could chicken out for the umpteenth time. After four rings, Caroline's voicemail came on.

"Hey Caroine. It's, uh, it's Cass. I don't really know why I'm calling, just to say hi I guess. I'll be at the dance tomorrow night. Rebekah recruited me to take Ric's place as a chaperon. So, I guess I'll see you there. Um…I miss you. Okay, I'm rambling now. I'm gonna go. See you tomorrow night."

* * *

Cassandra stared at her reflection in the mirror. She adjusted the headband she wore around her head one last time and smiled in satisfaction. She moved her hips slightly, causing the fringe hem of her dress to swivel from side to side. She could hardly wait to show Klaus what he was missing out on by not coming with her. Eager to see his face, she slipped on the black satin gloves and clasped the bracelet he'd given her for the ball around her wrist. She grabbed her purse and made her way down the hallway. She stopped at the doorway to the parlor and was disappointed to find the room empty. She continued to make her way down stairs, puzzled over his whereabouts, but refused to fret about it. She figured she'd snap a picture later at the dance and send it to him.

It felt a little odd to her, arriving at the school before the students, but it was what Rebekah had wanted, and she wasn't about to show up late. She made herself useful, putting out refreshments on a long table. As she walked around inside the gym, she had to admit Rebekah had done a fantastic job of organizing everything.

When students finally started to trickle in, she moved to a spot near the refreshments table. She spotted Bonnie at one point with a dark-skinned boy she didn't recognize and shared a smile with her before they disappeared into the dancing crowd. Her nerves began to kick in the more the minutes ticked by, knowing Caroline would be there any time.

Sure enough, a few minutes later Cassandra spotted her sister entering the gym in a vibrant, red flapper dress. When their eyes met, Caroline's face lit up. Cassandra forced herself to smile as Caroline hurried over.

"Hey!" Caroline beamed. "I got your message. I'm glad you called."

"Thank Stefan. He's the one that said something to me that stuck. It's kind of annoying actually," Cassandra laughed lightly.

"Really? When? What did he say?"

"It was yesterday when I went to see Ric. He said that—"

"Oh! Hold that thought. I need to talk to Matt," Caroline interrupted as she spotted Matt at the other end of the table refilling the ice bowl and walked over to him.

Cassandra watched them talk. She fought the urge to shake her head when Caroline warned Matt about getting too close to Elena because she was spoken for. When their conversation trailed off because of someone Matt spotted in the crowd, Cassandra followed his gaze. Her eyes widened and her lips parted slightly in surprise at the sight of Tyler mingling with classmates, fully decked out in a black suit and matching fedora.

As Caroline marched over to Tyler, Cassandra made her way over to Matt. "Since when is Tyler back in town?" she asked the quarterback.

"He got back yesterday," Matt answered. He shook his head slightly as he turned to Cassandra. "I didn't think he'd show up here. He's supposed to be keeping a low profile."

"Well, now I know why I got Caroline's voicemail when I called her last night," Cassandra rolled her eyes with a light chuckle.

As the current up-tempo song ended and a slower song began, Cassandra cast another glance at her sister and Tyler and found Tyler staring back at her with a smug grin on his face. He turned and said something to Caroline, who nodded, and made his way through the crowd to Cassandra.

"Come dance with me," he held out his hand. "I won't take no for an answer."

Cassandra let out a resounding sigh before slipping her gloved hand into his and allowed him to pull her onto the dance floor. She brought her other arm up and rested it on his shoulder as he wrapped his other arm around her waist.

"Welcome back," she gave him a warm smile.

"Thanks. It feels good to be back," he smiled at her. "Caroline filled me in on everything that happened while I was gone. You and Klaus? Really? Come on, Cass. He's a—"

"Don't, Tyler," Cassandra shook her head. "I don't want to hear it. I'll tell you the same thing I told Caroline. You don't have to like my decisions, or agree with them, but you _do_ have to respect them. Leave it alone, or this dance is over."

"Okay, okay. I'll leave it alone. For now."

"Thank you."

They danced silently for a few moments before the conversation continued.

"You're taking a pretty big risk aren't you? I mean, if Klaus sees you back in town…" Cassandra trailed off.

"I can pretend to be sired if I have to, don't worry," he tried to reassure her. "Can I trust you to keep this a secret from Klaus?"

"You know you can. I'm so glad you were able to finally break free from the sire bond. My dad would have been proud of you."

"I am so sorry about what happened to him. Caroline told me about Alaric's involvement. Pretty crazy stuff."

"Yeah. I saw him yesterday. Told him I didn't blame him for what happened."

"That's good. If you can forgive him for that, maybe you can forgive your sister," he eyed her intently.

She let out a groan as her head dropped slightly. "Aw, Tyler. Why'd you have to go and bring that up? I was having such a good time dancing with you, too."

He smirked at her. "Oh, you knew I'd be bringing it up sooner or later. She's my girlfriend, you're her sister. I care about both of you. She needs you, Cass. And I know you need her too."

"That may be true, but it's so much more complicated than that. She—Tyler, what is it?" Cassandra stopped when Tyler's gaze fell on something off to the side of them. She followed his gaze, her eyes widening in surprise as they landed on Klaus's form walking towards them. He had on a beige three-piece suit and had taken the time to style his short, curly hair.

"Where have you been mate?" Klaus asked once he was a mere few feet away from them.

"I just got back in town," Tyler answered simply.

"That's funny, I don't recall giving you permission to leave in the first place," his eyes glowed with a subtle irritation and displeasure at Tyler's insubordination. He took a few more steps until he was beside them, his lips slowly curling into a smile. "You don't mind if I cut in, do you?"

"Actually," Cassandra began. She could tell by the surprised look on Klaus's face that he hadn't expected her to protest. "We were in the middle of a conversation. You can have the next one."

Klaus ignored her remark and gave Tyler a slow nod.

"No. It's fine," Tyler sighed softly as he let go of Cassandra.

She looked from him to Klaus, folding her arms. "So I don't get a say in this at all? You're seriously playing the alpha male card right now?"

"I am the alpha male, love," he grinned and held a hand out to her. "Come on, you know you want to."

Cassandra sighed, shaking her head slightly at his insistence as she placed her hand in his. She knew the risk Tyler was taking by pretending to still be sired to Klaus and had to go along with it. He walked backwards, guiding her to an open spot on the dance floor, and slowly spun her around before wrapping an arm around her waist while he held her other hand in his.

"You look exquisite,"his eyes moved up and down over her entire body. "Like you belong in the nineteen twenties. You would have loved it. Girls were reckless, sexy, fun. They literally used to dance until they dropped."

Cassandra laughed as he turned her quickly. "Well, if the way the gym looks tonight is even a fraction of what speakeasies were like back then I think I definitely would have loved it. You look quite dashing yourself I must say. "

He grinned at her as they swayed to the music, remaining silent for a few long moments. "I want to talk to you about something," he said finally.

"Okay," Cassandra whispered with a nod of her head. "Wait. Should I be worried?"

"Of course not, love" Klaus chuckled lightly. "I'm leaving town tomorrow and I want you to come with me."

Cassandra blinked in surprise. "I…wow. I don't, uh, I don't know what to say." Her head was spinning.

"Say you'll come with me. Let me show you what the world has to offer," he murmured as he stared into her eyes.

Cassandra gazed back at him as the wheels in her head quickly spun through a short list of reasons why she should stay, and reasons why she wanted to go. One side outweighed the the other in her mind.

"Okay," her face slowly broke out into a wide grin. "Yes. I'll go with you."

Klaus's eyes sparkled in excitement as he engulfed her in a tight hug and spun her around, lifting her feet momentarily off the ground. As her feet landed back on the floor, she caught a glimpse of Tyler's face from over Klaus's shoulder. She could tell from the scowl on his face that he'd heard everything and wasn't happy about it. He shook his head slowly before walking off the dance floor. She did her best to push the way his face looked to the back of her mind as she refocused her sight on Klaus's face. Once the song ended, he took her by the hand and started leading her towards the doors of the gym.

"Wait," she stopped him after a few steps. "The dance isn't over yet. If I leave now, your sister will throw a fit. Well, if she ever gets here, she will."

"What do you mean? You haven't seen her?" Klaus raised his eyebrows curiously.

"Nope. It's kind of weird actually. She worked so hard putting all of this together, for her to end up missing the dance…"

"No, she wouldn't miss this," Klaus agreed something was not right and pulled his phone out of his pocket. "She's the one that convinced me to come tonight in the first place. Wait here while I try to get a hold of her."

Cassandra nodded as he walked out of the gym to call Rebekah. She lingered against the wall near the doors watching the crowd. A few minutes ticked by before Klaus returned to the gym with Stefan. They split off, Stefan disappearing into the crowd while Klaus walked over to her. She could tell by the irritated look on his face that something was wrong.

"It seems my mother has returned from the dead once again," he told Cassandra with a sigh. "She's placed a boundary spell on the school so no vampire can cross it."

"Oh no!" Cassandra gasped. "She's still wants to kill you, doesn't she? Why else would she trap you?"

"Don't worry, love. Whatever she has planned won't work. All of the white oak has been destroyed," he took her hands in his. "Stefan's gone to collect the Bennett witch who will find the loophole to the spell and break it so we can leave," Klaus tried to reassure her.

Almost on cue, Stefan walked past them with Damon, Bonnie, Bonnie's date Jamie, and Jeremy in tow. Klaus told Cassandra to wait for him in the gym and followed the group out. She momentarily considered going after them but thought better of it and made herself useful in the gym as students slowly started to leave by picking up trash left on the floor or tables.

Eventually, the gym finally emptied and Cassandra found herself alone with her sister and Tyler. She took a seat on the first row of bleachers, keeping her back to Tyler, who was higher up, so she wouldn't have to see the angry look in his eyes whenever he looked at her. Caroline started to walk over to her when Stefan came back into the gym and headed Caroline off. Cassandra listened in along with Tyler, frowning when she learned Matt and Jeremy had gone off to stop Esther. She was on the same page as Caroline, feeling it was a fool's errand.

"Klaus could get killed, and I die along with him," Tyler pointed out.

"Wait, what? What are you talking about?" Cassandra turned around to look at Tyler, then glanced at Stefan and Caroline.

"When an original dies, every vampire descended from their vampire bloodline dies. When we killed Finn, Sage died shortly after, along with a vampire she sired. That's how we figured it out," Caroline quickly explained. "We know for sure that Klaus sired Tyler, but we don't know what original blood line the rest of us are descended from."

"No one is gonna die, okay? Bonnie is still looking for a way around the boundary spell. It's not too late," Stefan turned around and walked out of the gym to see what progress Bonnie was making.

Caroline slowly turned toward Cassandra and Tyler. "So best-case scenario, Bonnie gets us out of here, Klaus hauls ass to Timbuktu and we're home free."

"Not quite," Tyler spoke softly before turning his gaze to Cassandra. "Tell her Cass, or _I will_."

"Tell me what?" Caroline looked at her sister.

Cassandra glared at Tyler before letting out an enormous sigh as she slowly faced Caroline. "Klaus is leaving town tomorrow. And I'm going with him."

"What!" Caroline cried out. "No! Don't go with him, Cass."

"I've made up my mind, Care," Cassandra folded her arms across her chest. "It's what I want, and nothing you say will change that. I'll still come back to visit, though."

"There is a way to avoid all this," Tyler spoke out. "We let Esther come and kill him."

"How could you say that?" Cassandra snapped at him.

"Because I'm angry. Because I hate him. I should have never let him dance with you," Tyler growled.

"What were you supposed to do? He can't know that you're not sired anymore. Besides, even if you hadn't let him cut in, I would have danced with him during the next song and he'd still have asked me to leave town with him," Cassandra stood up. "And I still would have said yes."

She hastily left the gym, ignoring their protesting voices that slowly faded away the further she went. She headed outside and found Klaus waiting at the boundary line with Damon and Stefan. She walked past the brothers and stood beside Klaus.

"So Caroline and Tyler know about my decision to leave town with you," Cassandra sighed softly. "They are not supportive, as expected."

"But you're still coming with me," Klaus turned to her with a soft smile on his lips.

"I am," she smiled back, slowly reaching for his hand. She was lacing their fingers together when Bonnie walked out, causing them to turn to face her.

"It's done," Bonnie approached the four of them. "Esther's not fighting me anymore. The boundary spell is broken."

Using his free hand to test it, Klaus slowly stretched it over the threshold. Seeing that the spell had indeed been broken, he wrapped an arm around Cassandra and whooshed away while Stefan and Damon were busy talking to Bonnie. Cassandra blinked and found them standing in front of her car.

"I'll meet you back at the mansion," Klaus opened the driver's side door for her. She nodded and slowly climbed in. When she looked back up he was gone. Sighing softly, she shut the door and buckled her seat belt before starting the car and driving off.

When she arrived at the mansion she slowly made her way upstairs. She went straight to the kitchen and dug out the tub of ice cream she knew to be in the freezer. She scooped some into a bowl and leaned back against the counter as she ate it, savoring every spoonful. After she was done and had cleaned everything up, she headed back to her room to change.

She sat down on the bed and started to take her heels off when she heard a buzzing sound coming from her purse. Recognizing it as her phone, she dug it out of her bag and saw a new message from her sister flashing on the screen.

 _Just thought you should know Esther tried to turn Ric into a vampire. He's in transition but he's not gonna complete it._

Cassandra stared at the words on the screen as she covered her mouth in shock. She felt tears stinging her eyes as the pain of losing her father in the same manner came rushing back to her. She dropped her phone on the bed and curled up into a ball as the tears slowly trickled down her cheeks. Her heart broke for Jeremy and Elena. They'd already suffered and lost so much, and now they were losing the only other parental type figure they had left.

She'd been so excited about leaving with Klaus, but now she was having second thoughts. She hadn't been able to be there for Jeremy and Elena when they lost their parents because she'd been away at school. Now she had the chance to make up for that, but the thought of telling Klaus she was reconsidering leaving town with him pained her. When she had said she'd go with him at the dance, she'd never seen him so overjoyed about something before. Now, she'd never felt so torn about something before.

With a frustrated growl, she pushed herself up off the bed and went into the bathroom to turn the water on to take a shower. She hoped the steam and hot water would relax her and give her the clarity she was seeking. Otherwise, she was in for a long and sleepless night.

* * *

 **What will Cassandra decide to do? Will she change her mind and decide to stay in Mystic Falls? Or will she stick with her original decision and leave with Klaus? Stay tuned to find out! Thanks again for taking the time to read and review!**


	14. The Hunter Within

**Hey guys! I just wanted to apologize for the longer than usual wait. I started a new job last week so my writing schedule shifted a bit. I'm all caught up and back on track again so updates should be back to their normal, weekly schedule. Thank you so much for the of the amazing reviews. This chapter is pretty intense so hold on to your phones, keyboards, iPads, pillows, or whatever else you need to and enjoy the ride!**

* * *

 **Chapter 14 - The Hunter Within**

Cassandra walked alongside Rebekah down the hallway leading to the school cafeteria. She had agreed to help Rebekah with cleaning up the mess left over from the dance the previous night. She felt it was the least she could do for the original vampire after all the hard work she'd put into organizing the dance that she ended up not getting to attend, though Cassandra's spirits were slightly dampened once they entered the cafeteria and she saw just how much they would have to do.

"Well, best to just get on with it then," Rebekah grabbed a blue trash bin and began picking up stuff to be thrown away. Cassandra nodded and grabbed another trash can to fill up. A couple of minutes had gone by when she heard footsteps and looked up to see her sister walking into the cafeteria.

"Cass, what are you doing here?" Caroline was pleasantly surprised to see her. Realizing who wasn't there, she glanced at Rebekah. "Wait, where's Matt?"

"He bailed. Got called into work at the last minute," Rebekah answered as she discarded some empty plastic glasses into the trash been she was holding.

"Are you kidding me?" Caroline was shocked. "So, it's just the three of us?"

"Yes, and you're late. Clean up committee started at eight o'clock."

"It's like 8:02."

"Exactly. Cassandra and I managed to turn up on time, and I didn't even get to attend the dance that _I_ organized," Rebekah walked past Caroline to pick up more empty cups. Cassandra held her breath for a moment, unsure if a fight between her sister and Rebekah was about to break out.

"I'm sorry about your mom," Caroline spoke in a softer voice. The comment surprised Cassandra. "I mean, I know you, like, hated her and everything. But, still. I'm sorry."

Rebekah stared at her, taken aback by her kind words. She emptied the small bin of trash she was holding into a larger trash can and looked back at Caroline. "Sorry about your teacher. He seemed like a nice guy."

"Yeah. He was," Both Caroline and Cassandra answered at the same time. They glanced at each other and shared a small smile.

"You two keep working in here. I'm going to get started on the gym," Rebekah turned around and walked out of the cafeteria.

Caroline walked over to help Cassandra pick up trash. "I'm surprised you're here and not back at Klaus's packing," she had a hint of sadness in her voice at the prospect of Cassandra leaving town.

"Yeah, about that," Cassandra started to say when Caroline put a hand up to silence her.

"Oh my god," Caroline whispered, her eyes widening in horror. "Cass, run! Get out of here as fast as you can!"

Before Cassandra could ask why, Caroline had disappeared out of the room. She heeded Caroline's advice and bolted from the cafeteria. When she got to the parking lot, she made a beeline for her car. As she was digging around in her purse for her keys, Caroline suddenly appeared behind her.

"Hurry!" Caroline shrieked in her ear.

Cassandra had her keys out, but her hands were trembling as she tried to grasp her clicker so she could hit the unlock button in it, causing her to drop them. She quickly reached down to pick them up, and when she leaned back up she froze at the sound of bones cracking from behind her. She looked at the reflection in the window of her car and yelped in surprise when she saw the glaring face of Alaric. She started to turn around to face him when he grabbed a fistful of her hair and banged her forehead against the window, causing it to shatter onto the driver's seat below. She screamed as her head exploded with pain. Ignoring her cries, Alaric moved his hand to the back of her neck, gripping her tightly, and dragged Caroline's limp body by her arm as he headed back inside the school with both Forbes sisters before the sun could cause too much damage to him. He didn't see Rebekah watching from a few yards away.

"How..how are you.." Cassandra stammered softly.

"Alive?" Alaric glanced at her. His lips curled into a devious smirk. "I'm not."

"Oh my god. You're a…"

"A vampire, yes," he answered as they walked into his classroom. He dropped Caroline's body on one of the desks and turned his head to look at Cassandra. Her eyes widened in fear as his face slowly changed. He let go of her neck and grabbed her by the hair, tilting her head to the side. She screamed as he bit into her neck. It hurt even more than when Stefan had bitten her. She could feel the life slowly being drained out of her the longer he drank.

"Whoops," he finally released her, allowing her weak body to slump to the floor in front of his desk as he wiped her blood from his mouth. "Almost drank you dry. Can't have you dying on me. Not yet anyway."

Cassandra somehow managed to push herself up into a sitting position and leaned back against the desk. Her head throbbed and she could feel stickiness on her forehead. She brought her hand up to touch it, the bright red blood confirming she had a gash from hitting the car window. She wouldn't have been surprised if she had a concussion too. Looking over at Alaric, she saw him tying a gag around Caroline's mouth. She flinched when he positioned Caroline's hands on the desktop and slammed wooden pencils through the top of each one.

"Why are you doing this?" She cried out in a whisper.

"You'll see," he answered simply. "Oh, and if you try to call anyone for help, I'll make your sister watch as I slam this stake through your heart."

Cassandra slowly nodded that his message had been received loud and clear. She watched as he pulled out his phone and dialed a number before bringing it up to his ear. Suddenly, Caroline's eyes snapped open as she came to. Cassandra locked eyes with her, somehow feeling the tiniest bit of comfort to have her sister conscious again, even if she was restrained.

"Listen closely," Cassandra heard Alaric speak into the phone, positioning himself next to her and in front of Caroline. "I have Caroline and Cassandra. And if you want to keep them alive, I need you to get in your car and come down here right away. If you tell anyone where you are going, I will kill them."

He ended the call and walked over to Caroline. He untied the cloth that she had in her mouth and dipped it into a beaker full of a golden liquid before tying it back around her. She screamed in pain as the skin around her mouth started to burn.

"No! Stop!" Cassandra cried out weakly. "Please stop hurting her!"

Alaric ignored her cries and walked over to sit behind his desk, twirling the now indestructible white oak stake in his hands. He repeated the process every few minutes. Cassandra's heart broke every time she had to endure her sister's cries of agony.

He was seated at his desk when he turned his chair to face the door, having heard Elena finally enter the school. "Right on time," he murmured.

Cassandra looked over at the doorway as Elena came running up. "Elena..." she whispered.

"Cass, Caroline," she gasped as she looked at both of them before turning to Alaric. "Let them go, Alaric!"

"Free them yourself," he motioned at his prisoners.

Elena stared at Alaric, unsure if she could really believe him, then hurried over to help Caroline She knelt down beside her and rubbed her arm soothingly before reaching for the pencil that was stabbed in Caroline's hand. Caroline whimpered as Elena started to pull it out, but before she could remove it entirely, Alaric appeared and slammed it back down into Caroline's hand, causing her to scream loudly.

"You said that you would let her go!" Elena jumped to her feet and spun around to face him.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Elena? Stop trusting vampires!" Alaric roared at her. "Now _sit down._ "

Elena slid into the desk beside Caroline. "I am so sorry you guys," she murmured to Caroline and Cassandra.

"It's not your fault, 'Lena," Cassandra murmured. She felt her eyes start to grow heavy. "I'm so tired."

"No!" Elena gasped softly. "You've gotta stay awake, Cass. You can do it."

Cassandra blinked a few times to refocus her eyes. "Mmm. Oh. Right. I probably have a concussion."

They fell silent when they heard Alaric talking on his phone to Stefan. After the call, he walked back over to Caroline and untied the cloth to dip it into the beaker again before bringing it back to tie around her.

"No, no more. Please no more!" Caroline begged.

"Alaric stop!" Elena stood up as he moved behind Caroline.

He pushed Elena back into her seat. "Sit down!" He tied the cloth around Caroline's mouth. She cried out as her skin began to sizzle and burn again. "This keeps the vervain in her system. It's like inhaling razor blades with every breath."

Elena reached over and stroked Caroline's arm. "Why are you doing this?" She asked.

"To make it easier on you when you put her out of her misery," Alaric picked up the stake from beside the beaker and walked over to stand in front of Elena.

"What?! No!" Elena cried out.

"No! Don't!" Cassandra begged.

"Isn't this what you wanted? What you both wanted? For me to teach you how to kill vampires?" He looked from Elena to Cassandra, then held the white oak stake out to Elena. "Well, here's a vampire, Elena. Kill her."

"This isn't what I want."

"Of course it is. All those hours you spent training, getting stronger, you could be a hunter, Elena. But you've never actually staked a vampire through the heart."

He continued to hold the stake out, but Elena refused to take it. Aggravated, Alaric started to pace around the classroom.

"Why are you doing this?" Elena demanded an answer.

"Because you need me," Alaric stopped and turned to face her, lowering his voice. "Because you're an eighteen-year-old girl without parents or guidance or any sense of right and wrong anymore."

"Look at you. How is this right?" she motioned at Caroline and Cassandra.

Alaric pointed at Caroline with the stake. "She's a murderer. She told me she killed someone and liked it. Now how is that right? See, Elena, your parents led the council. It was their life's mission to keep this town safe. They weren't dead six months before you undid it all."

"You don't know anything about them," she hissed.

"Why, am I wrong?" Do you actually think they'd be proud of you?" He knelt down in front of Elena. "If you don't side with the humans, you're just as bad as them."

He turned his head to look at Cassandra. "And you. You're sleeping with the worst vampire of them all. If you weren't such good bait, I'd have killed you already."

Cassandra wanted to tell him he was wrong, that she wasn't sleeping with Klaus, but she couldn't get her voice to work.

"Now kill her," Alaric rose to his feet and held the stake out to Elena again. "Or I'll do it for you and I'll make it hurt. Get up!"

He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of her seat. He dragged her over to stand in front of Caroline and placed the stake in her hand. Elena gripped it and stared at Caroline for a couple of seconds before taking a deep breath and spinning around to plunge it into Alaric. Unfortunately, he was ready for her action and quickly grabbed her wrist, stopping her.

"I thought I taught you better than that," he growled softly.

"You did," Elena sneered and grabbed the beaker on the desk beside them, breaking it over his head. He screamed in pain as his flesh started to sizzle and burn. Elena turned around and removed the cloth from Caroline's mouth, then pulled the pencils out of her hands. "Get help!"

As Caroline rushed out of the classroom, Elena hurried over and helped Cassandra to her feet. They started to move towards the door when Alaric blocked their path. He grabbed both of them and pulled them out into the hallway. He threw Cassandra against a locker. More pain exploded in her head as she slowly sunk to the floor. She pressed her hand to the back of her head to dull the pain as best she could while she looked up at a blurry Alaric. He had grabbed Elena by the throat and now held her up against the lockers.

"I should kill you," he growled. "I should gut you like Brian Walters, Bill Forbes, and all the other cowards I plan on ripping apart. You're the worst offender of them all, Elena. You don't deserve to live."

"So then why am I still alive? There's obviously no humanity left in you. So what's stopping you, Alaric? If you want me dead then kill me," Elena gasped for breath. Alaric's face started to change. His eyes turned red and veins appeared under them. Elena yelled for him to kill her. "Do it! Kill me!"

A long moment passed before Alaric's face went back to normal and he released her from his grasp. Cassandra and Elena both realized the same thing at the same time, that he couldn't actually kill her.

Out of nowhere, Stefan and Damon rushed up to Alaric from behind and grabbed him by his arms. Alaric was stronger than them, though, and easily pushed them away. He broke Stefan's back, causing him to collapse on the ground in a heap, and snapped Damon's neck. Cassandra blinked and suddenly Klaus was there, his fingers digging into Alaric's chest. After a few seconds of struggling, Alaric twisted back Klaus's wrist with a loud crack, causing Klaus to yell out in pain.

"Klaus!" Cassandra screamed as Alaric threw him across the floor. She screamed again as Alaric tried to stab him with the white oak stake. Cassandra tried to pull herself up onto her feet, but she was too weak. She hadn't noticed when Elena ran back into Alaric's classroom and came back with something in her hand.

"Stop!" Elena yelled as she held a knife to her own throat. "Let him go, or I'll kill myself."

"Put it down, Elena," Alaric sighed softly.

"Why?" Because you still need me alive? There's a reason why Esther used me to make you, isn't there? She didn't want you to be immortal, so she tied your life to a human one—mine. That way you only have one life span to kill all vampires and then you'll be gone. So when I die, you die too. That's it. It has to be!"

"You're wrong."

"Am I?" Elena started to cut her throat.

"Stop, stop, stop, stop!" Alaric cried out in a panic. It was the moment Klaus had been waiting for. He threw Alaric off of him and sped towards Elena, grabbing her, then Cassandra, and fled the school.

The next thing Cassandra knew they were back in her room at the mansion. Klaus carefully eased her down onto the bed.

"I'll be right back, love," he murmured softly before rushing out of the room with Elena.

Cassandra sat motionless for a long moment before the need to sleep became overpowering. She'd barely placed her head on her pillow when Klaus appeared in the doorway. In a flash he was at the bedside, biting his wrist as he lifted her back up and sat down beside her, allowing her to lean back against him.

"It's okay, sweetheart, I've got you. Drink," he brought his wrist to her mouth. She slowly started to suck against his skin. "There you go. That's a good girl."

She pushed his arm down when she'd had enough and let out a long sigh as he stroked her head. Once her strength had returned and her injuries had been healed, she sat up.

"For a moment there, I thought Alaric was going to succeed in killing you," she brushed her hand against his cheek.

"Nonsense," he chuckled, placing his hand on top of hers.

"He needs to be stopped."

"Don't worry, love. He will be."

"But how? He won't die until Elena—oh my god, that's it isn't it?" She dropped her hand from his face and jumped to her feet. "Where is she? What have you done with her?"

She bolted for the door and sprinted down the hall, fully knowing he could stop her at any moment. She saw the back of a brunette head sitting in a chair when she reached the parlor room and ran over to it. She gasped when she saw Elena was unconscious and tied to the chair. She started to reach for the ropes when she blinked and found herself on the other side of the room facing Klaus.

"I don't want to compel you to stay away from her, love, but I will if I have to," he spoke in a low voice. "It'll be painless, I promise. She'll simply fall asleep once she's been drained of all her blood. It must be done to end the hunter."

Cassandra couldn't find her voice and simply shook her head sadly before running out of the parlor and down the hall back to her room. She wasn't paying very close attention to what was in front of her and ran right into a hard body. She looked up as she stumbled backwards a step.

"Tyler!" she threw her arms around his neck. "He's going to kill her"

"Woah, hey," Tyler's arms automatically wrapped around her. "Calm down. Who's killing who now?"

She lifted her head to look at him. "Elena. Klaus is going to kill her to stop Alaric. You have to stop him."

"Ssssh, don't worry," he murmured soothingly. "I won't let anything happen to her."

Cassandra nodded slowly and slowly pulled away from him. "Be careful," she whispered before walking around him and disappearing in her room.

She was zombie-like as she started packing her duffel bag, walking back and forth from the closet to her bed with clothes. She had decided to follow through with her decision to leave town with Klaus the night before, but if Tyler couldn't stop him from killing Elena, she wouldn't go with him.

The longer she thought about Elena and her pending demise, the more it got to her. Eventually, she couldn't take it anymore. She knew she'd never forgive herself if she stood idly by and did nothing. Quietly, she crept out of her room and headed to the parlor, glancing around every few steps for any sign of Klaus. She let out a soft breath when she successfully reached the parlor and saw no sign of the original hybrid anywhere. She started to walk over to the chair Elena was in when Tyler appeared in the room. He held a finger to his lips as he walked over to Elena and began to undo her ropes with ease. Cassandra moved over to the other side of Elena and pulled out the tube that was connected to her arm and draining her blood from her, pressing down on the needle mark with the palm of her hand..

Elena's eyes suddenly widened at the sight of Klaus standing in the doorway, watching them. "Cass, Tyler," she whispered, pulling her arm away from Cassandra and grabbing onto Tyler.

Tyler and Cassandra slowly turned around to see Klaus giving them an icy stare. They slowly stood to their feet. Cassandra moved behind the chair while Tyler stayed put.

"So much for that sire bond," Klaus spoke softly.

"I'm not your little bitch anymore," Tyler told him pointedly.

Klaus smiled briefly at the comment as he walked up to him. Cassandra felt her heart start to speed up slightly at Klaus's close proximity. She had no idea what he'd do to her for trying to help Elena.

"How did you break the sire bond?" Klaus asked.

"By breaking every bone in my body a hundred times for the girl I love," Tyler answered.

"That's impossible," Klaus's eyes narrowed in disbelief.

"Is it?" Tyler raised his eyebrows. He started walking towards Klaus. "Or maybe real love is stronger than fake loyalty. But what would you know about that?"

"You know, you should be thanking me. I gave you a gift. I took away your misery."

"You didn't give a crap about me! You just didn't want to be alone!"

Cassandra could tell by the look on Klaus's face that Tyler had struck a nerve. When Tyler came over to help Elena to her feet, she started to step around the chair to help him when Klaus whooshed forward and pushed Elena and the chair backwards, causing both to fall and Elena to hit her head on the edge of the step leading up and out of the parlor. Cassandra screamed as Klaus grabbed Tyler by the neck and pushed him against the wall.

"Goodbye, Tyler," Klaus raised his arm, readying to rip out Tyler's heart.

"No!" Cassandra cried out.

Tyler grabbed Klaus's raised arm and twisted it around until he had it behind Klaus's back. Out of nowhere Damon and Stefan appeared. Damon grabbed Klaus's other arm while Stefan gripped Klaus by the shoulder and dug his fingers into Klaus's chest, causing Klaus to yell out in pain.

"No! What are you doing! Klaus!" Cassandra cried as she ran around the chair. "Stop it! Let go of him!"

She went straight for Stefan with her arms flailing, swinging at him as hard as she could. Stefan eyed Damon who nodded and let go of Klaus's arm before using his vampire speed to suddenly appear behind Cassandra. He wrapped his arms around her, pinning her arms to her sides and pulled her back.

"No!" She struggled against Damon's iron grasp. Whatever Stefan was doing was weakening Klaus. She could see it in his eyes. He was completely helpless, and it broke her heart to see him that way. When they locked eyes, the dam inside her broke and tears spilled down her cheeks. His skin started to turn gray and veiny, his eyes wide with terror at what was happening. Eventually, Tyler and Stefan carefully lowered Klaus's immobile body to the floor.

"Here, I'll take her," Tyler walked over to Damon who nodded and allowed him to pull a sobbing Cassandra into his arms.

"Whatever you do…" Damon began.

"Don't let her anywhere near him, I know," Tyler nodded slowly.

Cassandra thought she had a moment as Tyler watched Damon walk over to help Elena up and tried to break free from him to go to Klaus, but he held her back.

"I'm sorry, Cass," he murmured softly as he continued to restrain her.

She finally gave up fighting and sunk to the floor in a heap, forcing Tyler to drop to his knees to continue holding her. She watched helplessly as Stefan and Damon loaded Klaus's desiccated body into a coffin and wheeled him away.

"Come on," Tyler started to pull her up to her feet. "Let's get you—"

"Get away from me!" Cassandra snapped, yanking her arms out of his grasp. "Just go Tyler. Get out of here! GO!"

He gazed at her with sad eyes before turning around and leaving her behind. She remained on the floor for the next little while, staring at the spot where Klaus had been lying, crying softly. She lost track of how long she'd been sitting there in tears before she finally picked herself up off the floor. She shuffled down the hall to her room and grabbed her phone off the bed. She knew exactly who she had to call for help.

"Cassandra, thank god!" Rebekah answered the phone after two rings. "I wasn't sure you'd survive."

"They took him," Cassandra sniffed. "Stefan and Damon. They...they did something to him and took him away in a coffin."

"What do you mean they took him?" Rebekah's tone instantly became worried. Cassandra heard the phone being shuffled, then a new voice started speaking.

"Cassandra, this is Elijah. Tell me exactly what happened to Niklaus," Elijah spoke calmly.

"They did something to him. Stefan had his hand on Klaus's chest. He turned grey and couldn't move."

"They used the desiccation spell," he deduced in a split second.

"Why those bloody…" Rebekah started cursing quietly in the background.

"Desiccation spell?" Cassandra had no idea what that was.

"They stopped his heart. A witch did the same thing to Mikael fifteen years ago. Listen, Rebekah and I are on our way back to Mystic Falls. Rest assured, we _will_ get Niklaus back."

"Okay," Cassandra sighed as she wiped her eyes with the edge of her shirt. She ended the call and headed back to the parlor room to wait for them. A little while later her phone buzzed in her hand. She looked down and saw Caroline's name on the screen. She wasn't really in the mood to talk to anyone, but she answered anyway.

"What do you want, Caroline?" Cassandra snapped into the phone.

"Woah," Caroline gasped in surprise. "Tyler told me what happened. I wanted to make sure you were okay."

"Why do you even care? You finally got what you wanted–Klaus away from me," Cassandra grumbled.

"I had no idea they were going to do that. If I had, I would have tried everything to stop them, because I know how much it would hurt you, and after what I did, hurting you anymore is the last thing I want." Caroline protested her sister's assumptions.

"How do I know you're not just telling me what I want to hear?"

"Seriously? You're seriously doubting my sincerity right now?"

"Right now, I'm having a hard time trusting anyone who _isn't_ a Mikaelson after what just happened to Klaus," Cassandra huffed.

"Well I meant what I said. I'm here if…if you need me, okay?" Caroline murmured softly.

Cassandra was about to speak when Rebekah and Elijah walked into the room. She suddenly didn't want Caroline to know of their presence and give the others a heads up about it before they had a chance to track down where the Salvatore's had taken Klaus.

"Okay. Fine. Look I have to go," she spoke quickly and ended the call before Caroline could protest. She put her phone into her pocket as she stood up and walked over to them. She was taken by surprise when Rebekah wrapped her arms around her in a comforting embrace.

"Do you have any idea where Damon and Stefan would have taken Klaus's body?" Rebekah asked once she'd released Cassandra.

Cassandra shook her head sadly. "I don't know, somewhere far from here. Alaric has the white oak stake."

"They'll die if he uses it on Niklaus," Elijah murmured. He turned his gaze to Rebekah. "Stay here with Cassandra. I'll find out where they've taken him and when I do, you'll be able to retrieve him."


	15. Ripped Away

**Chapter 15 - Ripped Away**

Rebekah nodded and, together, she and Cassandra watched as Elijah left the room. Once he was gone, Cassandra eyed Rebekah, doubtful.

"They aren't just going to tell Elijah what they've done with Klaus or hand him over to us," Cassandra pointed out.

"Don't worry so much. Elijah can be quite persuasive," Rebekah gave her a small smile. She motioned for Cassandra to follow her and led the way to the kitchen. Cassandra hung out in the doorway and watched as Rebekah pulled an old looking bottle out of a crate, along with a couple of glass tumblers and filled them with a generous amount of liquid. Cassandra thanked her and took one of the glasses from her, sipping it slowly. The liquid burned and warmed her throat at the same time. They walked back to the parlor and sat down on the couch.

"I'm glad you were able to get out of the school when you did," Cassandra murmured softly in between taking sips from her glass.

"You are?" Rebekah stared at her, surprised.

"Of course I am. I know we don't know each other very well, but that doesn't mean we can't be considered friends. Plus, I know you want to get Klaus back as much as I do, and you'll help me do whatever it takes to make that happen."

Rebekah smiled to herself, unexpectedly touched by Cassandra's words. "You're right about that."

* * *

"All we need is to take that stake away from him. Once he's been disarmed, the weapon's in my possession, my family will scatter to the ends of the earth, and Alaric will follow us," Elijah sat at the Gilbert dinner table with Elena, while Stefan and Matt remained standing in the kitchen a few feet from them.

"And you'll just…run?" Stefan walked around Elena and sat down in the empty chair between her and Elijah.

"We've done it before," Elijah gave a slight nod of his head. "Klaus and Rebekah spent the better part of a thousand years evading my father. What's another half century while Elena is able to live out the rest of her natural life?"

"We've finally stopped him, Elijah. After everything that he's done to us, I can't just let you bring him back," Elena refused to agree to Elijah's plan.

Elijah wouldn't relent. "I give you my word, Elena. I will not revive Klaus within yours nor even within your children's lifetimes. Perhaps that will finally teach him some manners."

"Why should she trust you?" Matt walked over and stood behind Elena. "All you've ever done is screw her over."

"And for that I am deeply ashamed," Elijah eyed Matt momentarily before shifting his gaze back to Elena. "But know this—she could have been dead the instant I walked through that door tonight. So, Elena, I leave it to you to make the decision whether to trust me or not."

"Not! Hello!" Damon's voice chimed in from the phone laying on the table. He had been put on speaker phone so he could be a part of the discussion while he was on the road. "Did that concussion give you brain damage? His lunatic siblings will kill you the first chance they get!"

"Rebekah and Kol will honor the terms if you return Klaus's body to us. Elena will come to no harm," Elijah was adamant. "Do we have a deal?"

"No! No, no, no, no! Did I mention _no_!" Damon hollered over the phone.

Stefan turned to Elena. "Elena it's up to you."

"Oh, come on!" Damon groaned.

Elena looked across the table at Elijah. "Why do you want Klaus's body?"

"He's my brother. We remain together," Elijah answered softly.

Elena sighed slowly. "We have a deal."

* * *

After finally hearing back from Elijah and learning where to meet Damon to get Klaus's body, Cassandra and Rebekah hurried out to Cassandra's car to get on the road. Cassandra still couldn't believe Elijah had pulled it off, that they were going to get Klaus back.

"I don't care what deal your brother made with them. I made no deal. When we get him and get away from this place, I'm waking him," Cassandra told Rebekah as they pulled onto the main highway. "And if you try to stop me…"

"Relax, love," Rebekah smiled at her reassuringly. "One thing to keep in mind when it comes to Elijah: he always has a way with words, and sometimes, it's about what he _doesn't_ say that matters more. He said that _he_ would not revive Klaus. He never said a word about you or me."

Cassandra's eyes widened. She glanced at Rebekah, her lips curling into a wide grin. "That's brilliant!"

"Exactly."

Cassandra let out a big breath, feeling better about everything. They fell into a comfortable silence as they continued on their journey. After about a half an hour, Cassandra's phone started ringing from inside her purse. Rebekah dug it out and handed it to her.

"It's my mom," Cassandra murmured. She grabbed her ear piece from the cup holder she'd stashed it in and looped it around her ear before answering the call. "Mom. Hey."

"Oh good. Where are you right now?" Elizabeth asked, an edge in the tone of her voice.

"I'm with Rebekah. Why? What's going on?"

"The council knows about your sister and Tyler. Don't worry, they're safe. They're leaving town. I want you to come home. They're going after the Mikaelsons. It's not safe for you to be around them."

Cassandra cast a sideways glance at Rebekah, knowing she was listening to every word. "I'm glad Caroline and Tyler are safe, but, I can't come home right now. I'm sorry. I'm sort of…not even in Mystic Falls right now."

"Cassandra Elizabeth Forbes!" Cassandra winced at hearing her mother use her full name. " I don't care where you are or why you're with Rebekah. You will turn your car around and come home before the council tracks you both down and kills you along with her!"

"Mom, relax. We'll be fine. I'll call you later. I love you. Please let Caroline and Tyler know I love them too," Cassandra quickly hung up after getting the words out, before her mom could continue her protests. She pulled her ear piece off her ear and tossed it back into the cup holder it had been in before.

"You know, your mother is right," Rebekah commented from the passenger seat. "Being around me and my family is dangerous, especially with Alaric after us."

"I don't care," Cassandra kept her eyes on the road. "I will do whatever it takes to get Klaus back, no matter the risk."

"Even if what you're risking is your own life?"

"Yes, though I'm pretty confident that you'll have my back, if anything because you know how royally pissed off your brother would be with you for letting anything serious happen to me."

Rebekah nodded her head slightly. "Yes, he certainly would be."

"So would my mom, my sister, Tyler, Matt," Cassandra started listing the people she knew cared about her.

"Matt," Rebekah murmured. "He would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you."

"Nope. You'd kiss any chance of being with him goodbye at that point."

Rebekah sat in silence, processing the possible consequence should things go horribly wrong. Before Cassandra knew what was happening, Rebekah had bitten into her left wrist and pressed it against Cassandra's mouth while holding on to the steering wheel with her other hand to keep the car straight.

Cassandra yelped in surprise, though it was muffled by Rebekah's wrist. She fought against her arm as the blood trickled down the back of her throat. After a few seconds Rebekah recoiled and relaxed in her seat.

"What the hell!" Cassandra gasped as she wiped her mouth.

"Insurance policy," Rebekah replied. "In case the worst should happen. Now you'll come back no matter what."

"My friends, my family, Klaus, Matt, they'll still be pissed at you."

"Maybe so, but they'll eventually get over it. They'd still have you which is what matters here. It's a risk _I'm_ willing to take."

Cassandra sighed softly. She supposed Rebekah was right, her family would eventually get over any anger towards Rebekah for turning her, but she wasn't about to admit that to the girl sitting beside her. Instead she said a silent prayer, hoping that Rebekah's little back up plan wouldn't have to come into play at all.

A few hours later they pulled up into the parking lot of a huge storage facility. Because it was in the middle of the night, the parking lot was completely deserted. After they'd parked, Rebekah led the way to a side door that Damon had left unlocked for them and went inside. Cassandra had to blink a few times before her eyes adjusted to the bright, florescent lights inside. They took the elevator up to where the medium sized storage units were located.

"Damon! Damon, where are you?" Cassandra called out as they walked out of the elevator and started heading down the hall. Damon didn't answer.

"Damon, this isn't funny," Rebekah called out as they walked down a row of storage units.

As they turned down another row they were both suddenly grabbed from behind, their mouths covered so they couldn't scream.

"Rebekah, Cassandra, shhh," Damon whispered to both girls.

He slowly let them go and quickly led them to the unit containing Klaus's body. They made quick, quiet work of wheeling the coffin containing Klaus's body into the elevator and out of the back of the building where Klaus's SUV was waiting. The three of them were a foot from the SUV when Alaric appeared out of nowhere. He grabbed Rebekah and banged her head against the side of the SUV before tossing her on the ground. Next, he turned to Damon and kicked him onto the ground next to Rebekah. Cassandra jumped in front of the coffin as Alaric started to approach.

" _No._ " She growled.

Alaric laughed at her feeble attempt to stand up to him. He effortlessly shoved her onto the ground behind him and lifted opened the casket. Klaus's eyes were open wide as Alaric hovered over him. Cassandra, Rebekah, and Daman started yelling at Alaric, begging him to stop as he pulled the white oak stake out of his jacket. He raised his arm and slammed the stake into Klaus's chest with one swift movement. Klaus let out a startling gasp as the wood penetrated him.

"No! No! No!" Cassandra and Rebekah cried as his body burst into flames. Damon wrapped an arm around Cassandra to keep her from charging at Alaric, and used his other hand to keep Rebekah back.

Alaric slowly closed the coffin containing Klaus's burning corpse and turned to face Rebekah them. "Next," he sneered, pointing at Rebekah.

"Rebekah, run. Run!" Damon ordered her and shoved her off to the side. She grabbed Cassandra by the arm and took off at vampire speed. Using the same supernatural speed, she loaded Cassandra into the passenger seat of Cassandra's car and climbed into the driver's seat, gunning it out of the parking lot as fast as she could.

Cassandra's body shook with sob after sob. He was gone. Really gone. She would never see him again. Never feel his touch or hear his voice. She felt like her heart had been ripped from her chest. Rebekah wiped away her own tears as she drove along the dark road. Cassandra didn't notice when they eventually came to a stop until Rebekah was pulling her out of the car. They held each other as Rebekah whooshed around the dark woods until she found Elijah. He stared at the pair of them, his own eyes red and burning with tears.

"He's gone, Elijah. There was nothing we could do to stop it," Rebekah choked back a soft sob. Elijah walked up to his sister and Cassandra, wrapping his arms around the pair of them. They held on to each other for a long moment before Elijah released them.

"Tyler Lockwood is dead, but the rest survived," Elijah spoke softly.

"What? No!" Cassandra cried out. She fell to her knees as her body shook with a new wave of sobs.

"You said that Niklaus turned their bloodline," Elijah stared at Rebekah.

"I thought he did," Rebekah murmured.

"It wasn't me. It wasn't Kol," Elijah went on.

"It wasn't me, Elijah. It was Niklaus I'm sure of it," Rebekah told him as she knelt down to comfort Cassandra.

"Then how are they still alive?"

* * *

Bonnie slowly walked into the dark Lockwood cellar. She paused, looking around.

"I know you're here," she called out to the darkness surrounding her.

After a pause, a figure slowly emerged from the darkness and walked towards her.

"I must say you really did that spell brilliantly. I didn't think you had it in you," Tyler spoke, pleased.

Bonnie walked forward and stood in front of him. "I did it to save my friends and my mother, Klaus. Not you."

"The spirits won't be happy with you," he tiled his head to the side.

"The spirits don't get to tell me what to do anymore. I'm done getting pushed around by all of you," Bonnie narrowed her eyes. "I did it because I wanted to."

* * *

After trying and failing to convince Rebekah to run with him, Elijah disappeared on his own into the darkness. Rebekah helped Cassandra up and the two made their way back to Cassandra's car.

"You sure you want to come with me? I can drop you off at the Mansion and take care of the problem on my own," Rebekah asked softly as she climbed into the driver's seat.

"No, I'm not sure," Cassandra covered her face with her hands after she slid into the passenger seat and buckled her seat belt. "I don't want Elena to die, she's my sister's best friend and someone I've known since she was born, but I know it's the only way to stop Alaric once and for all, and I know it's what Klaus would want. But then I also want to hurt Stefan the same way he hurt me. Does that make me an evil bitch?"

"Of course not. It's an impossible situation. If it makes you feel any better, Elijah told me Matt tried to get her out of town. I'm not exactly excited about making him go down with her, but, well, collateral damage as my brother would say," Rebekah sighed.

"God I hate your mother. This is all her fault," Cassandra growled softly, her eyes welling with more tears. She banged her fist against the arm rest. "And Stefan's. I hate him for taking Klaus from me. From us."

"I know, love. So do I. He will pay, I promise," Rebekah murmured as she focused on driving to their destination. "Rest assured, he will feel the same pain you're feeling right now and more."

"Good," Cassandra muttered as she stared out of the window.

She fell silent and remained so until they crossed Wickery Bridge and the car came to a stop when Rebekah pulled over onto the side of the road. She got out of the car and followed Rebekah up the street to the bridge. As they walked onto the bridge, Rebekah pulled out her phone and dialed a number before bringing the phone up to her ear.

"Hello?" Stefan answered as he walked through the woods towards his red Porsche.

"You're alive, congratulations," Rebekah spoke dryly.

"Rebekah," Stefan wasn't expecting a call from her.

"Elijah spoke to Elena. Her and Matt should be arriving back in town any minute."

"Yeah, he told me that. He also said you two would be long gone out of town by now."

Rebekah tilted her head slightly. "That's the problem. Elijah says we have to run, that the hunter will keep coming after us, but I don't want to run anymore, Stefan. I spent my whole life running.

"What are you talking about?" Stefan's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "We had a deal."

"I'm sorry, but Klaus is dead. There is no deal. If my brothers and I are going to survive, we need to get rid of Alaric and the only way to get rid of Alaric…" Rebekah trailed off as she and Cassandra came to a stop in the middle of the bridge.

"Rebekah, no," Stefan's voice quaked with fear, realizing what she was implying.

She ended the call as a pair of bright headlights came around the corner and approached the bridge. Cassandra could only make out the outlines of Elena and Matt inside the truck. The breaks squealed when Matt cranked the wheel to avoid hitting her and Rebekah. She pinched her eyes shut as it flew over the side and hit the water below with a loud splash. Not wanting to linger any longer, Cassandra turned on her heal and headed back to her car. Rebekah followed, and they drove the rest of the way to the mansion in silence.

When they arrived, Cassandra headed straight to Klaus's room. She peeled off her jacket and tossed it on the bed. She saw a big, black suitcase resting in a chair next to the wall and walked over to it. Her hand floated over the lid, lifting it slowly. She stared at the folded shirts inside and felt a lump form in her throat. She grabbed the top one and held it against her chest as she walked back over to the bed. She reached into the pocket of her jacket and pulled out her phone before curling up on the bed. As she hugged the shirt, she opened her phone and pulled up the photo they'd taken together when they went horseback riding. Fresh tears stung her eyes as the memory came flooding back to her. Then her brain decided to remind her that she also lost Tyler and had watched Rebekah cause her sister's best friend and ex-boyfriend to die in the most horrific way. A sob escaped her lips, followed by another, and another, until she was uncontrollably crying as the guilt became unbearable, and the crying continued until she finally fell asleep.

Rebekah had heard her sobbing as she nursed a bottle of bourbon in the parlor. When Cassandra's sobs had quieted, Rebekah grew curious and went to see what had become of the blonde human. When she found Cassandra curled fast asleep on her brother's bed, clutching one of Klaus's shirt tightly to her chest, her heart swelled. She swallowed a lump in her throat as she disappeared and reappeared in the blink of an eye with a blanket in her arms. Carefully and quietly she walked over to the bed and draped the blanket over Cassandra's sleeping form.

For moment, she pondered the idea of giving the girl a sweet dream about her brother, but she realized the pain Cassandra would feel after waking and realizing it was only a dream would be catastrophic, so she let her be. Instead, she went back to the parlor and drank, numbing her own pain until she passed out.

* * *

 **And that's a wrap for Season 3! I still can't believe this story went over the 100 review mark. I am completely blown away by the comments from all of you. I'm pretty sure my eyes bug out now every time I see the number change. You are all the best! I'm sorry this chapter is on the shorter and sadder side, but with Season 4 starting in the next chapter it'll be well worth it, I promise. Things will begin to heat up even more than they already have if you can believe that. Thank you again for continuing to take the time to read my story!**


	16. Lost and Found

**Here we are! The beginning of Season 4 is now underway! I'm really excited to share this particular chapter with you guys and to dig into a new season. I have a lot A LOT of things planned, some things you'll absolutely love, some you'll probably wanna come after me with pitchforks for, but that's okay. I am anticipating it so I'll be ready to duck and cover when the time comes. Thank you again for taking the time to read this and thank you to those who take the time to leave reviews. Even with the glitches, I'm still able to read them because I have them emailed to me. Anyway, that's it. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 16 - Lost and Found**

The next morning Cassandra woke up confused when she didn't recognize her surroundings as the room she'd grown accustomed to sleeping in. Her eyes shifted down to the shirt she gripped in her hand, and everything from the night before came rushing back to her. She buried her face in Klaus's shirt as her eyes stung with tears, wishing to go back to that place in her sleep where she couldn't feel the pain and emptiness in her heart.

Eventually she found the will to crawl off of the bed and head back to her own room to take a long, hot shower. After she dried off and got dressed, she took her time blow drying her hair before venturing out of her room. Even though her brain told her she wasn't hungry, she knew she needed to eat something, so she forced herself to head to the kitchen where she made a piece of toast to nibble on.

Once she was finished, she shuffled down the hall to the parlor. When she entered the room, her eyes immediately landed on the open doors to Klaus's art room. Against her better judgment, she went inside and stopped in front of the huge stone table where Klaus's drawings and sketches lay. He hadn't packed them up yet, so the table was just how Cassandra remembered it from the night of the ball. She slowly reached down and picked up the drawing of a woman. A lump formed in her throat, and her eyes started to sting with tears when she gazed at it. In a fit of rage, she threw the picture down on the table and shoved everything on top of the table onto the floor with a yell.

"Damn you Alaric for taking him away from me!" She cried out in fury as she slammed her palms on the table top.

"Oh love," Rebekah appeared in the doorway, murmuring softly. She walked forward and wrapped her arms around Cassandra in a gentle hug.

Cassandra closed her eyes for a moment and took a deep breath in, then slowly let it out in an attempt to calm herself back down. When she opened her eyes, she let out a surprised gasp.

"Damon," she whispered as he walked through the parlor towards them.

"You should know better than to sneak up on a lady," Rebekah slowly released Cassandra and turned around to face him.

"Good advice. Have you seen one?" Damon retorted.

"Tragic about Elena. Not to make a gray cloud grayer, but does Matt even have automobile insurance?" Rebekah asked sweetly before slowly turning back around towards the stone table.

Damon raised his arm, revealing the white oak stake in his hand, and charged at Rebekah. Cassandra screamed as Rebekah spun back around and grabbed a hold of Damon's wrist with one hand while her other latched onto his throat. She shoved him back against a wall and twisted his wrist until he dropped the stake to the floor. In the next moment, two gunshots rang out, and wooden bullets were fired through the parlor window. Cassandra screamed again and dropped to the floor. She looked up a second later to see that Damon had vanished and Rebekah had been shot in the chest with an arrow.

"Oh my god!" She watched Rebekah's skin turn gray and veiny, her body sinking to the floor.

Cassandra crawled over to her and wrapped her hands around the arrow. She was about to pull it out when two sets of strong arms grabbed her and yanked her up off the floor. Her arms were tied behind her back, and she was ushered out of the room. She knew it was pointless to struggle against the strong, muscular men that were leading her outside, so she went willingly.

"Is this really necessary?" She groaned when they tied her up inside the back of a big, black van. The men ignored her and tugged on her ropes to make sure they were secure before loading Rebekah's body into the van. _At least they removed the arrow. Idiots,_ she smiled to herself, knowing it wouldn't be long before Rebekah woke up.

* * *

In the dark Lockwood cellar, Klaus sat on top of the coffin containing his body. Tyler's phone began ringing from inside his pocket. He pulled it out and groaned when he saw the caller was Tyler's mother.

"Ah, you incessant woman," Tyler's voice rang out with a groan before answering the call. "Hey, mom. What's up?"

"Tyler, thank god. Are you okay?" Carol sighed in relief.

"Fine. Why? What's going on?" He asked

Carol walked across the room in she was in back at their home to where a table with a crystal decanter was and poured herself a drink. "Pastor Young had me arrested this morning. The council grilled me on your whereabouts. Tyler don't tell me where you are. The less I know, the better."

"Mom, I'm okay. Relax," Klaus shook his head slightly, hoping he came off sounding like Tyler would.

"You didn't answer your phone, honey. I was so scared you were with Caroline."

"Why? What happened to Caroline?"

Carol sighed softly. "The council took her. They took Cassandra too."

"What do you mean they took them?" Tyler's voice cracked slightly as worry flooded through him.

* * *

"Finally," Cassandra murmured softly when Rebekah started moving her head and moaning softly. She tugged weakly at the ropes that were tied around her, then looked over at Cassandra. "Vervain ropes. The council made their move."

"The council? What exactly do they think they can do to me?" Rebekah shook her head slightly.

"No idea, but I can't wait to see what you do to them once you're free from the confines of vervain," Cassandra smirked at her.

Rebekah weakly smiled back. She was about to speak again when the wheels on the van began to screech. Then the van flipped over, causing glass from the windows to go flying while the ropes Cassandra and Rebekah had been tied to the van with kept them in place. They gasped in shock as the van slowly rolled to a stop.

"What the hell happened?" Rebekah moaned.

"No idea," Cassandra groaned and took a few deep breaths . Suddenly, one side of the back doors was ripped completely off the car. She glimpsed the top of Tyler's head as he ripped off the other half of the door and climbed inside the van, gasping in shock at the sight of him. "Tyler?"

"I'm harder to kill than you think," he ripped away the ropes tied around Cassandra's waist.

"You're alive?" she cried out joyfully. "How are you alive?"

"No time," he ripped off the ropes that were tied around her wrists. "Come on, we gotta go."

"Wait, what about me?" Rebekah called out after Tyler had helped Cassandra to her feet and started ushering her out.

Before leaving the van, he looked back at Rebekah. "Keep 'em busy, little sister."

Rebekah watched in shock as he disappeared and realization hit her. "No. That's not possible!" She tugged hopelessly at her own ropes.

Outside, Tyler quickly grabbed Cassandra and vanished into the woods seconds before the police car that had been escorting the van pulled back up to it. When they finally came to a stop, Cassandra stared at him for a second before throwing her arms tightly around his neck.

"Oh my god! I never thought I'd see you again! But, I don't get it. How are you alive?" She pulled back slightly so she could see his face. "Elijah said you were dead. The others survived, but you didn't. And yet here you are. It doesn't make any sense."

"This is going to sound incredible, but I—" Tyler started to say, but Cassandra kept on rambling.

"Caroline is going to flip out when she sees you. Oh my god! Caroline! Do you think the council has her, too? We have to find—" Her sentence was cut off abruptly as Tyler slammed his lips against hers. Cassandra blinked, stunned by his action, and quickly pushed him away. She wiped her mouth and stared at him, wide eyed. "What the hell Tyler! Why'd you do that? You know you're like a brother to me, and my sister's boyfriend for crying out loud!"

"Apologies, love," he chuckled lightly. "It was the only way I could think of to get you to stop talking so I could explain what's going on."

"Oh god. I was rambling, wasn't I? Hang on. Did you just call me love?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

Tyler tilted his head to the side, smirking with his eyes. "I don't know, _love._ Did I?"

Her eyes widened as she realized that, while she was staring at Tyler, on the inside, inside he wasn't Tyler at all. Her heart started to race. It was too good to be true. And yet, she only knew of one person, not counting Rebekah, who called her love.

"Klaus?" She whispered. He grinned and nodded his head slowly. She brought her hands up to the sides of Tyler's face. "Oh my god. How is this even possible?"

"Bonnie. She cast a spell which put me in Tyler's body before mine burned beyond repair. Don't worry, it's temporary. I have my original body safe and sound so she can put me back," he answered.

"I thought I was never going to see you again," Cassandra murmured softly, her eyes brimming with tears of joy.

"Well, I am not sorry to disappoint you this time, love" he grinned at her. "Now, let's go get Bonnie to put me back in my original body so we can have a proper reunion."

She nodded and allowed him to whisk her away to the Lockwood cellar where Bonnie and the coffin containing his body were. The last person she expected to see when they arrived was Elena's brother.

"Jeremy," she covered her mouth with her hands, the memory of being on the bridge with Rebekah instantly rushing back to her. "Oh my god. I…I'm so sorry. So, so sorry. I wasn't—I didn't think of you and how you'd be affected. I just wanted Stefan to feel the same pain I did."

He walked up to her and gently reached for her arms. "Slow down. What are you talking about?"

"I…I was at Wickery Bridge last night. With Rebekah," She told him again.

"What?" Jeremy recoiled his hands and took a step back. "You were there...and you let Rebekah force Matt to drive his truck over the side with my sister inside? She had vampire blood in her system, Cass! She forced Stefan to rescue Matt first, and by the time he went back for her, he was too late!"

Cassandra was elated Matt was okay, but it didn't erase the fact that Elena was still gone. As tears pooled in her eyes, she attempted to reach out to Jeremy, but he glared and shook her away.

"You still don't get it, do you? Elena died with vampire blood in her system. Now she's in transition. She never wanted to be a vampire. I don't want her to be one either," Jeremy shook his head.

"I tried to use magic to make her human again," Bonnie murmured softly. "But it didn't work."

"What do you mean it didn't work?" Klaus spoke out, eyeing Bonnie. "You _will_ put me back into my real body."

"I—I can't," Bonnie whispered. "I'm not strong enough."

"What?" Klaus glared at her in disbelief.

Jeremy moved so he was standing beside Bonnie. "She said she's not strong enough," he repeated.

"You were strong enough to put me in here. Surely you're strong enough to get me out," Klaus narrowed his eyes at Bonnie.

"I upset the spirits trying to save Elena. I can't use that kind of magic again. It's too dangerous," Bonnie quickly explained.

"Bonnie, do the bloody spell!" Klaus yelled.

"Klaus," Cassandra murmured gently. "She said she can't, okay? We'll just…give her a few days to regain her strength so she can do it with traditional magic, right Bonnie?"

Klaus wasn't having it and ripped open his shirt. He raised his hand as he took a deep breath and slowly extended his hybrid claws before digging them into his chest, yelling out in pain.

"What are you doing?" Cassandra gasped in horror. Her feelings of guilt over what had happened to Elena were pushed to the back of her mind.

"Ripping Tyler's heart out. I'll jump into someone else," He turned to Jeremy. "Maybe you."

"Oh my god," Bonnie murmured as Klaus dug his fingers deeper into his own skin, his yelling intensifying from the pain.

Cassandra turned to Bonnie. "Please Bonnie! He's hurting Tyler!"

"He's bluffing. He needs a witch to do that," Jeremy argued.

"What makes you think I don't have one? Or ten?" He turned his hard gaze back to Bonnie, yelling furiously. "Pick, Bonnie! You or Tyler!"

"Please, Bonnie! He's killing Tyler!" Cassandra screamed as Tyler dug his claws into his own chest even further, yelling loudly.

"Fine, I'll do it! Just stop," Bonnie begged him to stop.

Klaus immediately removed his hand from his chest with a sigh. "Good. Let's begin."

When he moved to kneel in front of Bonnie, Cassandra went over to the coffin containing Klaus's body and slowly opened it. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared down at Klaus's charred body. He looked eerily peaceful laying there. She swallowed slowly and went to work loosening the mountain of chains that had been wrapped around him. She would be furious with him for threatening Tyler later, once he was back in his own body again.

"This is black magic. She shouldn't be doing this," she heard Jeremy say as Bonnie chanted while she lay her hands on Tyler's head.

Cassandra turned and watched Tyler slowly open his eyes and look at her. "Tyler?" She called out lightly to him.

"Cass, hey," he smiled and tried to stand up, but couldn't and fell to the ground.

Cassandra ran over to make sure he was okay. When she found his pulse was strong and steady, she moved back over to the coffin and watched as Klaus's skin slowly began to heal itself. His eyes slowly fluttered open as he took a gasping breath of air. Cassandra rolled up the jacket sleeve on her right arm and carefully helped Klaus sit up inside the coffin.

"Here," she held her wrist in front of his face. "Drink. It will help your strength return faster so you can break the chains. Don't argue with me, just do it. You can heal me later."

He nodded and made his face change before placing his lips against her wrist. She winced when his fangs pierced her skin, but after that, he was as gentle as he could be. After ten seconds he pulled away.

"Thank you, love," he murmured, licking his lips. A few seconds later, he looked completely normal. "You might want to take a step back."

Cassandra nodded and quickly scrambled to her feet before moving back from the coffin. She watched Klaus use his supernatural strength to push the chains confining his body away until they all broke clean in half and fell to the floor. He climbed out of the coffin and brushed himself off before pulling Cassandra into his arms and speeding out of the cellar.

When they got back to the mansion, he left Cassandra to wait in the parlor while he cleaned up and changed clothes. She sat on the couch with her hand covering the puncture marks on her wrist and quickly rose to her feet when he walked back into the room looking as good as ever in a long sleeved black shirt and dark denim jeans. He held a glass in his left hand as he walked over to her. She watched as he brought his right hand up to his mouth and bit into it.

"Wait," she reached out and grabbed his hand when he started to move it over the glass. He eyed her curiously. She remained silent as she brought his hand up to her face and placed her lips over the bite marks, sucking gently. She pulled away after a couple of seconds and glanced at her wrist, watching as the puncture marks slowly vanished. When she flickered her eyes back onto Klaus, she could tell he hadn't been expecting her to do that.

"Well, had I known the glass wasn't necessary I wouldn't have b—" Klaus had started to say with a chuckle, but Cassandra cut him off when she placed her hands on the back of his head and slammed her lips against his. He set the glass down on the coffee table and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close as he responded. She kissed him like there was no tomorrow, the emotions she'd been feeling over the past day pouring out of her. Being a hybrid, Klaus had no trouble keeping up with her. When her lungs finally screamed for air, she pulled away from him and buried her face against the nape of his neck.

"I still can't believe you're really here," she whispered against his skin.

"Believe it, love," he cooed in her ear. He brought a hand to her chin and tilted her head up. "Now, what do you say we finish packing and get out of this little town?"

"That sounds…perfect," she nodded slowly. She thought the best thing to was put some distance between herself, Jeremy, and the Salvatores. She was sure they'd learn of her involvement in Elena's death and had no idea what they'd do when their paths eventually crossed. "I just need to run home and grab a suitcase…maybe two. And a few other things."

"Well, be quick about it. The sooner we leave, the better."

She nodded and pecked him on the lips before forcing herself to let go of him and head out of the parlor. She stopped by her room and grabbed her purse and car keys before heading out to her car. When she pulled up to the house a few minutes later, she noticed two figures embracing out on the front porch. Her lips slowly widened into a smile as she walked up the driveway and realized the two people were Caroline and Tyler. They turned their heads at the sound of footsteps and smiled when they saw her.

"Cass!" Caroline was grinning from ear to ear as she broke free from Tyler and ran up to Cassandra. She'd been about to engulf her in a big hug when she remembered they were still on the outs and slowly recoiled her arms.

"It's okay," Cassandra laughed softly and pulled her younger sister into a hug. Caroline hugged her back tightly. "I'm glad you're okay, little sis."

"We all are," Caroline replied as they let go of each other. "Elena had to complete her transition, though."

"She's a vampire now," Cassandra gasped softly. Caroline nodded. "It's my fault."

"Elena told me she remembered seeing you on the bridge with Rebekah. She wanted me to tell you she doesn't blame you and she doesn't want you to blame yourself. I don't want you blaming yourself either."

"But—"

"No, but's. It was Rebekah's plan. Even if you wanted to stop her, there's no way you could have."

Cassandra started to shake her head. "I should have just listened to mom. If I had left and come home when she asked me to, then I wouldn't be beating myself up about this."

"Cass, stop," Caroline gently grabbed her sister by the shoulders. "Yes, you wouldn't feel guilty, but it doesn't change anything for Elena. No matter how many different ways you look at it, the result is the same every time: Elena becomes a vampire. She's accepted it. Jeremy's accepted it. Stefan and Damon have. I have. It's time you did too."

"When did you get to be so wise?" Cassandra chuckled softly, wiping stray tears away from her eyes.

"I learned most of it from my amazing older sister. You should meet her. You guys would really hit it off," Caroline grinned.

Cassandra smiled back at her and pulled her into another hug. "Thanks, Care."

"Any time, sis." Caroline hugged her tightly for a moment before releasing her.

"Well, I should go get the suitcases I came here for," Cassandra motioned toward the house with her head.

Caroline eyed her curiously. "Suitcases? What for?"

"Um…" Cassandra bit the bottom of her lip.

"She's still leaving town with Klaus," Tyler said matter-of-factly as he walked up and placed a hand on Caroline's waist.

"What? No! Please, Cass. Don't do this. Don't leave town!" Caroline grabbed Cassandra's hands, pleading. "Weren't you the one who said we have to start spending time together for your trust in me to be rebuilt. How can that happen if you aren't here?"

Cassandra sighed softly as she gazed back at her sister. As much as she hated to admit it, she knew Caroline had a valid point. How could they repair their relationship if their only contact for the foreseeable future was over the phone or through video chat on a computer. The simple answer was they couldn't. Not really. An image flashed in her mind from a couple of days earlier when Alaric had been torturing Caroline, and in that moment, Cassandra was again reminded of how close she came to losing her sister. She asked herself if she were to leave, and heaven forbid something happen to Caroline, would she regret not sticking around to work things out? The answer to that was a resounding _YES!_

"It can't," Cassandra whispered. She squeezed Caroline's hands gently. "You're right. If I want to give us a real chance to fix things between us, I have to stay."

"Wait, so what are you saying? You're not going to leave? You'll stay?"

"Yes, I'll stay. For now."

Caroline squealed in delight as she threw her arms around Cassandra. "Oh thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"You're welcome," Cassandra cracked a small smile. It faded when she thought about how she was going to have to tell Klaus she'd had a change of heart. "I need to get going. I have to tell Klaus there's been a change of plans."

Tyler and Caroline nodded and walked Cassandra to her car. She waved at them through the window as she pulled away. She drove back to the mansion with a heavy heart, though she knew she had made the right decision. When she arrived and made her way upstairs, she heard voices coming from the parlor. As she approached the doorway and cautiously peaked in, the sound of Klaus's booming voice shouting _no_ caused her to flinch in surprise. She couldn't quite see him, but she easily recognized the back of Rebekah's head.

"I mourned you! My heart broke thinking I'd never see you again!" Rebekah cried out hysterically, holding the last two remaining bags of doppleganger blood in her hands.

"Put the blood down, Rebekah. There's a good girl," Klaus tried to coax her into giving him back the blood.

"It's always been me. Not Finn, not Elijah, not Kol, me. I loved you through everything and you don't even care!" Rebekah shook her head as tears ran down her cheeks.

"DROP IT!" Klaus yelled with a feral snarl that made Cassandra tremble in fear.

"You want your family?" Rebekah raised her arms and squeezed the blood bags, making all of the blood burst out onto the floor. "Here's your family!"

Cassandra had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep herself from making any noise when she saw Klaus suddenly appear in front of Rebekah and grab her by the neck. She'd never been afraid of him before, but the fact that he was attacking his own sister made her wonder if she could wind up in the crossfire of his temper. She could no sooner believe the next words she heard coming out of his mouth.

"You know something, Rebekah, you were right. I don't care. From this moment on you're not my family. You're not my sister. You are nothing," he growled and snapped her neck.

Cassandra only saw the top of Rebekah's head on the floor from where she stood, but it was enough for her to figure out what had just happened. She heard Klaus's footsteps and quickly scurried back to her room. She could feel her heart racing inside her chest as she walked towards the bathroom door. She was a few feet from the door when she suddenly froze in mid-step, the feeling of a presence behind her becoming too overwhelming to ignore. She slowly turned around and found Klaus standing an arms length away from her.

"Klaus," she gasped softly.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," he murmured apologetically. Klaus stepped towards her, and when she unwittingly took a small step back from him, he stared at her, puzzled. "Are you okay, love? Your heart is racing. The only time I've heard a human heart race like that is when I've been about to…" He trailed off, realizing what was going on. "You don't need to be afraid of me. I would never hurt you."

"I...um," Cassandra paused and cleared her throat nervously. "I want to believe you."

"But you don't?" He took a cautious step towards her. He was pleased when she remained where she was.

"No. I mean yes. Yes, I believe you. I'm just…I never thought you'd blow up quite like that at your own sister."

"Siblings fight, as you are well aware. She'll be fine."

"Did you really mean it when you told her she was nothing to you?" When he eyed her with a look that clearly said _what do you think_ she nodded slowly in understanding. "I see."

Klaus sighed softly as he saw disappointment flash across Cassandra's face. "Look, if it means that much to you, once we've made it to our first destination, the lovely Windy City, I'll call Rebekah and apologize."

Cassandra bit her lip. This hadn't been how she had wanted to bring the topic up, and now it seemed she had no choice but to address it.

"About that," she said slowly.

"You've changed your mind about coming with me, haven't you?" He frowned.

"Wait," Cassandra put a hand up to stop him. "Don't go jumping to the wrong conclusions before I've had a chance to explain."

"All right," he nodded slowly.

Cassandra took a deep breath and made the decision to abandon her current reservations before walking up to Klaus. She slowly reached out and took his hands into her own.

"I still want to see the world with you, but I need to rebuild the relationship with my sister before I go anywhere. It's not exactly something I can put a time frame on, so I can't tell you how long t it will take," she squeezed his hands gently. "She helped me tonight with my guilt over what happened with Elena. I owe it to her and to myself to give her a second chance."

"If that's what you need to do," he sighed with a nod of his head. "I must admit I'm disappointed, but if doing this means that you won't be held down by it when you do join me, then it's what I want you to do, too."

"So I shouldn't even attempt to try to convince you to put off leaving for a while longer?" She asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

"What do you think?" Klaus tilted his head as he raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Right," Cassandra sighed. "You're more than ready to leave this little town."

He nodded slowly. "I'm afraid so."

She exhaled slowly as she stepped closer to him and let go of his hands so she could wrap her arms around his neck.

"I'm really going to miss you," she sighed softly.

"So will I, love," he murmured in her ear as he wrapped his arms around her.

She lifted her head up to gaze in his dazzling blue-green eyes. He leaned down and captured her lips with his own. What she thought was going to be a short and sweet kiss quickly turned into a deeper one. After a few long moments, she was able to find the inner strength to pull away.

"Oh god," she groaned. "I'm really going to miss that too!"

"I am, too," Klaus chuckled. "You really are a glorious kisser."

"So are you," Cassandra smiled at him.

She lightly ran her fingers along the back of his head as she leaned in and pressed her lips against his. She started sucking on his bottom lip, which seemed to awaken the hybrid within him, because the next thing she knew, she was lying flat on her bed with Klaus hovering over her, kissing her passionately. He slowly moved his hands up and down her sides, causing her blouse to rise slightly, while they teased each other with their tongues. Completely lost in the intensity of the moment, Cassandra couldn't stop herself from pressing her hips into his, sending a jolt of pleasure through both their bodies. He instantly brought his hand down to her right knee and lifted it, hitching it around his hip before he slowly rocked his hips back against hers. A slew of feelings and sensations she hadn't experienced in a long while began coursing through her. Her mind was becoming more muddled and lost in his every touch by the second. When she slowly pulled away from him, her breathing heavy, Klaus moved his lips to her neck while his fingers moved under the hem of her blouse and brushed light against the soft skin along her waist.

"Klaus," Cassandra murmured softly, bringing a hand to his face so he wouldn't make the wrong assumption when hearing his name. He raised his head and gazed down at her.

"What is it, love?" He brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek.

"I...um..I don't want us to get carried away," she whispered.

"Wait. Are you...have you never...?" He started to ask as he leaned back.

"Oh my gosh, no," Cassandra started laughing. "Yeah, that little milestone happened when I was still in high school. It's just a little too soon right now. I mean...eventually, yeah, I want that to happen, but not tonight."

Klaus nodded his head with a soft chuckle. "Oh. Well if that's all it is, that is more than reasonable."

They slowly untangled themselves from each other and sat up.

"It's been quite a day. I should leave you to get some rest," he started to lean forward to get up when Cassandra grabbed his arm.

"Wait. Don't go. I was actually hoping you'd sleep with me," she told him. He blinked and stared at her with raised eyebrows, wondering if he'd heard her right, when her eyes widened as she realized her blunder. "Oh my god. That is _not_ what I meant. I was hoping you'd spend the night in here with me. Ugh, that's not any better. But I think you get the gist of it so I'm just going to stop talking now."

She rolled back onto her side and buried her face against the bedspread.

"Please don't," Klaus laughed with a wide grin. "I'm quite enjoying this."

"Of course you are," she mumbled, her voice slightly muffled. She continued to hide her face from him. Eventually, she felt his hand on her shoulder as he gently rolled her onto her back. She started to raise her hands to cover her face, but he gently grabbed her wrists before she was successful.

"Don't be embarrassed, love. I want to look upon your beautiful face for as long as I can before I leave tomorrow," he said in a soft voice. "And I'd love to, how did you put it, spend the night in here with you."

Cassandra groaned at hearing Klaus repeat the same words she'd used. She scoffed softly as she allowed him to pull her back up to a sitting position and released her wrists. Wordlessly, she climbed off the bed and walked over to her dresser to get her pajamas. She walked over to the bathroom, stealing one quick glance at Klaus still sitting on her bed before closing the door with a soft click. After taking a quick shower, she got into her pajamas and brushed her teeth. When she came out of the bathroom, she found Klaus sitting in the same spot, only he was now wearing a dark grey tank top and navy blue, cotton pajama bottoms. They worked together to turn down the bed, removing the extra decorative pillows and folding back the linens. Once they were in bed, Cassandra scooted closer to him and laid her head on his shoulder while her arm rested against his chest. He wrapped his arms securely around her and lightly brushed his lips against the side of her head. They talked softly for a little while until they drifted off to sleep to the sound of the other's steady, beating heart.


	17. The New Hunter In Town

**Thank you guys so much for the continued support. This chapter is a little bit shorter than some of my others, but it still has some good meat to it. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 17 - The New Hunter In Town**

"The town of Mystic Falls was rocked by the tragic explosion at the Young Farm during the night. According to local authorities, a faulty gas line caused the explosion, taking the lives of twelve people, with Pastor Young among them," the news report played on Cassandra's laptop.

After saying goodbye to Klaus earlier that morning, Cassandra retreated back to her room and went onto her laptop to check her email for the first time in weeks. Before she had even logged into her account she came across the news report on the explosion. She might have actually believed what the reports were saying if she didn't already know what had transpired at the farm the day before. It was difficult to mourn the losses when those very people had gone after her and her friends, even if they were people she'd known her whole life.

With a heavy sigh, Cassandra continued on to her email and quickly sorted through her emails, deleting any spam and scanning for anything important. A quick glance at the clock on the bottom right corner of the screen told her she had twenty minutes before she had to meet her mom at the Mystic Grill for lunch. She quickly finished looking through her emails before shutting down her laptop. She freshened up her appearance and headed on her way out.

When she walked up to the entrance of the Mystic Grill ten minutes later, she was surprised to come face to face with her mother who was leaving the restaurant with a dark skinned man.

"Mom?" Cassandra stared at her mother confusion.

"Oh gosh, honey. We were supposed to meet up for lunch," Elizabeth covered her eyes momentarily with her hand.

"You forgot," Cassandra sighed softly. "It's okay, mom. I know things have to be pretty insane at the station right now with what happened out at the Young Farm."

"I'm sorry, sweetie," Elizabeth stroked the side of Cassandra's head. "I know we haven't seen much of each other lately."

"This shouldn't take long," the man standing next to Elizabeth spoke up. "The two of you can still grab a bite to eat after we're done. I'm Conner, by the way. Independent Contractor."

Cassandra blinked as the man held out a hand wearing a fingerless black glove. "Cassandra," she slowly shook his hand.

"Pleased to meet you, Cassandra," Conner replied with a smile as he released her hand a moment later.

"Cass, why don't you go grab us a table. I'll join you as soon as I can."

"Okay, sure," Cassandra nodded and walked past them through the open door.

As she was looking around for an open table, her eyes landed on the back of a familiar head of raven black hair. _Oh great. Damon's here_ , she sighed. He leaned slightly, allowing her to get a glimpse of the half empty liquor bottle beside him. _And he's been drinking. Even better._ There was no way she wanted him to see her while he was inebriated. She didn't know if Elena had told him she saw her on the bridge a few nights ago with Rebekah, and she definitely didn't want to find out. It didn't help that she was still mad at them for what they did to Klaus on top of everything else, so she turned on her heal and went back outside. She saw an empty round table by a window and made a beeline for it.

While she waited for her mother to return she pulled out her phone and texted Caroline to see if she wanted to join them for lunch. When Caroline's reply a few minutes later was _can't, over at tyler's right now_ , she shook her head as she chuckled quietly to herself, knowing full well what her younger sister was really up to. Later, when Elizabeth had joined her and they began to eat their burgers, Cassandra nearly choked when Elizabeth made a comment about how it would have been nice to have Caroline join them, knowing full well what her little sister was up to.

"I did text her while I was waiting for you," Cassandra said after swallowing the food in her mouth. "She never responded."

"Huh. Well, I wouldn't be surprised if she was busy organizing everything for the lantern ceremony later tonight," Elizabeth shrugged.

"Probably." _Oh mom, if you only knew._

-o-

A few hours later, Cassandra made her way inside the church with Caroline and Tyler for the memorial mass. The pews were filling fast so they quickly nabbed some seats in a row near the back with Cassandra on the end, Caroline beside her, and Tyler on the other side of Caroline. Cassandra checked to make sure she'd silenced her phone and smoothed out the edge of her simple, black dress. She turned her head, about to whisper something to Caroline, when the voice of Stefan Salvatore made her flinch in surprise.

"What are you doing here, Tyler?" Stefan asked casually.

"Being sensitive to the community's loss," Tyler stared straight ahead at the front altar.

Cassandra was still bitter at Stefan for what he did to Klaus and knew if she turned to acknowledge him she'd end up giving him a piece of her mind, and this wasn't the place or time for that. Instead, she tilted her head just enough so she was looking at her sister and Tyler, and kept Stefan completely out of her line of sight.

"With a hunter out to get you?" Stefan asked.

"Hunter?" Cassandra's head snapped up. She eyed her sister and Tyler curiously. "What hunter?"

"I'm not letting a hunter stop me from where I'm supposed to be," Tyler glanced back at Stefan.

"Also, if he shows his face, I'm gonna kick his ass," Caroline whispered with a smile. Stefan nodded and walked forward a few rows to take a seat.

"Hello?" Cassandra tried asking again in a loud whisper. "What hunter?"

"He came to my house earlier. Said his name was Conner. Wore these black gloves that are laced with vervain and burned my hand when I shook it. Then he shot me with wooden bullets laced in vervain," Tyler explained in a hushed voice.

"Oh my god," Cassandra gasped, her face turning sheet white. "I met him."

"What?" Both Tyler and Caroline gawked at her.

"When?" Caroline wanted to know.

"This afternoon. When I went to meet up with mom for lunch, they were walking out together. I shook his hand!"

"Well, that's not a bad thing. He knows you're human. Nothing to be alarmed about. And he knows mom's human too," Caroline tried to reassure her.

Cassandra shook her head. "It's not a good thing, Care. Yeah, he knows I'm human, but he also knows I'm the Sheriff's daughter. And if he sees me hanging around Tyler….god, he could use me as bait."

"Hey," Caroline reached over and held Cassandra's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "I'm not gonna let anything happen to you, okay? Neither will Tyler."

"She's right," Tyler flashed Cassandra a reassuring smile.

Cassandra nodded and exhaled slowly as Caroline squeezed her hand one last time before releasing it. She knew they were right, that she shouldn't worry so much, but she couldn't help it. She tried as best she could to push her negative thoughts as far away from the front of her mind as she could and listened as Carol Lockwood stood on stage and began speaking. She smiled at the mention of the late Pastor Young's daughter April. She remembered the first time she saw April as a tiny baby at one of the many town events. Her heart broke for the young girl now that she had lost the only parent she had left. She wasn't surprised to see Elena stand when Carol opened the floor to anyone else who wanted to say a few words about Pastor Young.

"I, um, when I talked to April earlier she was kind of nervous about coming up to speak, and now that I'm up here, I'm kind of nervous too," Elena laughed softly. She gripped the sides of the podium she was standing behind and continued with her speech. "The worst day of loving someone is the day you lose them."

"Do you smell that?" Caroline suddenly whispered to Tyler.

He turned his head and leaned in, whispering back to her. "Blood."

"What?" Cassandra gasped softly. "Someone's bleeding?"

"Yes," Caroline answered, though she barely moved her lips. "Just keep watching the stage. Don't turn around. Damon says it's a trap."

Cassandra nodded and kept her sight fixed on the stage. She watched Stefan appeared and helped a struggling Elena back to her seat. A moment later the priest instructed everyone to open their hymn books and join together in song. Everyone stood and sang together, though Cassandra could barely concentrate on saying the words. Near the end of the song, Tyler suddenly walked past Cassandra and Caroline towards the stage.

"What's he doing?" Cassandra hissed at Caroline as she kept her eyes on Tyler.

"I have no idea," Caroline replied nervously as she, too, kept her gaze fixed upon her boyfriend, ready to pounce at the first sign of trouble.

"Excuse me," Tyler spoke into the microphone as he positioned himself behind the podium. "I just wanted to say a few words about Pastor Young."

He waited until everyone had taken their seats to continue. "Back in first grade, I was a brat who couldn't be bothered with team sports. Didn't care much about anything that didn't affect me. But he was the one who made me understand how important it is to be a part of a team; a community. Of giving yourself up for the sake of…"

Tyler's speech was cut off as a loud gun shot rang out. He spun around and fell to the floor as everyone began to scream and run for the exits. Caroline grabbed Cassandra by the hand and lead the way through the frantic crowd up to Tyler's side on stage.

"Oh my god!" Carol dropped to her knees beside her son as Elena and Stefan arrived on stage at the same time as Cassandra and Caroline. Caroline knelt down and rolled Tyler onto his back. With one swift motion she removed the wooden stake protruding from Tyler's chest.

Tyler coughed and groaned in pain. "I'm going to kill that bastard!" he shook his head, determined.

"Damon's way ahead of you," Stefan told him. "Stay here. I have to help him."

Before he could leave, Elena grabbed his hand. "What about April?"

"I got it. Go," Caroline told them. Stefan nodded and headed outside.

"I have to call an ambulance," Carol decided.

Caroline disagreed. "No, he's fine!"

"The whole town just watched you get shot. I'm calling an ambulance," Carol whispered frantically to Tyler and walked off in a rush to make the call.

Caroline suddenly looked up and noticed Elena was missing. "Elena." She told Cassandra to stay with Tyler and sped off to look for her friend.

Cassandra dropped to her knees beside Tyler. "Some memorial service this turned out to be. You never should have gone up on stage, Ty. Not when you already had a huge target on your back!"

"Someone had to, and no one else was stepping up. So I did," Tyler replied softly. "And hey, it got the hunter to make a move and out himself. Now Damon and Stefan can kill his sorry ass."

"For your sake, I hope they do. If tonight is any indication, he won't stop until hunting you until he kills you."

-o-

Cassandra and Caroline were walking out of the hospital after spending some time with Tyler when Caroline's phone buzzed with an incoming message.

"Stefan wants us to come to the school," Caroline told Cassandra after reading the message. "Huh, I wonder what for."

"Wait..us…as in both of us?" Cassandra blinked in surprise.

"Yeah," Caroline nodded. "Both of us. Come on."

When Caroline kept on walking towards her car, Cassandra suddenly stopped. It took a few steps before Caroline realized her sister was no longer walking beside her. She turned around and eyed her older sister, puzzled.

"Cass, what is it?" Caroline walked back up to her.

Cassandra folded her arms across her chest. "So I don't get a say in this? What if I don't want to go?"

"Why wouldn't you want to go? He might have new information on the hunter."

"Seriously? You really don't know why the last people I want to be around right now are Stefan and Damon Salvatore? Have you forgotten what they did to Klaus, which directly affected me? I mean, it's barely been days since it happened, so forgive me if I'm still a little..no a lot pissed at them. And a little nervous because there's a good chance one or both of them are mad at me too."

Caroline placed her hands gently on Cassandra's arms. "Cass, I had no idea you felt this way."

"You just assumed that once I got Klaus back I just…forgave them and forgot?" Cassandra raised her eyebrows.

"No, of course not! I just…well to be honest, I've been caught up in getting Tyler back," Caroline sighed. "But now that I know, I want to help you work through it. I helped you with your guilt over Elena, and I'll help you get past this too."

"Caroline…" Cassandra protested with a soft groan.

"Okay, okay. I get it. It's too soon. Look just…come with me to the school to find out what Stefan wants. You don't have to talk to him. I'll handle that. And I won't let them lash out at you or anything like that."

"Fine," Cassandra sighed. "Let's just get this over with so I can go home."

They climbed into Caroline's car and headed to the high school. As they pulled up into a parking spot they noticed a small group congregating by the picnic tables out they walked up to the group they found Elena, Stefan, Jeremy, and Matt waiting around. Cassandra took a seat next to Caroline at one of the tables. She heard Stefan say they were waiting on Damon and Bonnie. A couple of minutes later Damon's blue convertible pulled up.

"Stefan, what are we doing?" Damon asked once he and Bonnie had reached the group.

Stefan pulled out a bunch of paper lanterns from a brown box resting on the table and began passing them out.

"We're finishing the memorial we didn't get to have earlier. We need to start healing Damon. We've all lost so much, especially recently. I think we're numb to it. We push it away, we make a joke out of it, ignore how we feel. We've never just let ourselves grieve."

"So you're lighting lanterns?" Damon thought the idea was stupid.

"Yeah. Yeah, we need to do this," Stefan nodded.

Damon had what he thought was a much better plan. "What we need to do is find out who this hunter is and what he knows about the death of the council. We have more important things to be doing right now than this."

"Not tonight we don't," Stefan disagreed. Damon scoffed, but Stefan continued on. "This is for my Uncle Zach and my friend Lexi and for Alaric."

Matt took the lighter Stefan had in his hand after Stefan used it to light his lantern. "This is for Vicki." He lit his lantern.

Caroline stood up next and took the lighter from Matt. "This is for my dad. And Tyler's." She lit her lantern.

Cassandra took a deep breath and stood up to stand next to Caroline. She took the lighter from her. Her voice shook slightly as she spoke. "This is for my dad. And for Alaric." She used the lighter to light her lantern.

Jeremy hopped off the table he was sitting on and took the lighter from Cassandra. He met her eyes and gave her a brief smile.

"I'm not mad at you anymore," he whispered quickly. Cassandra let out a soft sigh of relief as he glanced at Elena as he began.

"This is for our parents," Then he turned to Matt. "For Vicki. Anna. Jenna. And Alaric." He lit his lantern and tried to pass the lighter to Damon, but the vampire refused to take it.

"No way. I'm not doing that," Damon shook his head and walked off in a huff.

Jeremy turned his gaze to Bonnie who grabbed a paper lantern out of the box and took the lighter from Jeremy as she walked around to stand next to Cassandra. She took a deep breath before speaking.

"This is for my Grams," she said, lighting her lantern.

There was only one person left to speak. Stefan glanced at Elena. She slowly stood up and took the lighter from Bonnie before standing next to Stefan.

"This, um…is for my mom, my dad, and…Jenna. Everyone that you've all lost, everyone that this town has lost. And for me. I guess." She lit her lantern.

After a long pause she stepped forward and released it, watching it float off into the night sky. One at a time, everyone else released their lanterns as well. As she watched her's float off into the distance, Cassandra couldn't deny there was something healing about it, though it would be a long time before the grief faded completely.

"Okay, so maybe I'm glad you talked me into going with you," Cassandra told Caroline once they'd pulled up in front of the mansion where Cassandra was still staying. "That was pretty nice."

"Yeah, it was," Caroline agreed with a smile. "You sure you'll be okay here by yourself? This place is ginormous."

"Yeah, I'll be fine. I'm not entirely alone. There are housekeepers," Cassandra tried to reassure her.

"All right," Caroline nodded slowly. They hugged briefly before Cassandra climbed out of the car. She walked up to the huge french doors and turned around to wave at Caroline one last time before going inside.

When she reached her suite she changed out of her dress into her pajamas and grabbed her phone out of her purse before curling up in bed. Suddenly, her phone started buzzing in her hand. Her lips curled into a wide grin when she saw the name on the screen and quickly answered.

"Hey! Your timing is impeccable. I was just getting ready to call you," she laughed softly.

"Heh, of course it is, love." Klaus chuckled lightly. "So how was your day?"

"It was alright, I guess. Had lunch with my mom. There was a memorial ceremony for the victims of the Young Farm explosion. They're calling it an accident, though we know better than that."

Cassandra thought about filling Klaus in on the new hunter in town and how this hunter had gone after Tyler, but she knew if she did, Klaus would either want her to leave town and join him immediately, or he would come back to down to deal with the hunter himself, and she didn't want to bring him into the thick of it if she could avoid it.

"What about you? Where are you right now?" She asked him, deciding to say nothing about the hunter for the time being. She knew she was taking a risk by not saying anything because he would certainly be upset with her for keeping such a thing from him, but it was a risk worth taking in her mind.

"I'm just outside Memphis at the moment. At first light I'll be heading to Chicago," Klaus answered.

"Memphis huh? Isn't that the home of country music? No wait..that's Nashville," Cassandra laughed.

"Did someone snooze during their geography lesson in school?" Klaus teased.

"No, but someone did have a long and emotional day, and that same someone wishes a certain hybrid was here to help her wind down for the night."

"Believe me, love, that hybrid wishes he was there too."

"You could have stayed in town longer."

"You could have left with me."

"That's…." Cassandra trailed off with a frown, unable to come up with a retort.

"A very valid point," Klaus finished with a laugh.

Cassandra shook her head as she fought back her own laughter. "Yeah, no comment."

"Aw, come on, love. You know I'm right. Come on, just admit it."

"Nope. And you know what the beauty of it is?" Her lips slowly curled into a wide grin. "There's not a thing you can do about it because you left town. So keep trying if you want, but I could lay here in bed saying no comment all night."

She heard him grumble softly under his breath.

"Ah, who's making the valid point now, hmm?" She smirked.

"You know, love, you should consider yourself lucky I'm not there to make the smirk that is undoubtedly on your lips disappear," Klaus's voice had a devilish edge to it.

She could only imagine what he would do to prove his point if he could. She thanked her lucky stars for the distance in that small moment.

"Don't worry, I do," she told him. A moment passed, then she softened her voice. "Hey, you know I miss you, right?"

"I miss you too, love," he murmured back.

Their conversation turned more soft and sweet as he started to tell her about all of the things he couldn't wait to show her once she joined him in the Windy City. The images he painted in her mind with his descriptions of the city and all its splendor made her want to pack her bags and jump in her car to go to him.

"Okay, you really need to stop," she finally told him when she couldn't take it anymore.

"All right," he laughed. "I should let you go, anyway. It's late and you need to sleep."

She didn't want to say goodbye, but she knew he was right.

"Maybe we can video chat next time, I mean, if you know how to," she joked.

"I may be a thousand years old, but I am current on the times. And you, my dear, will pay for that little jest the next time we are together," he growled playfully.

Suddenly she was grateful they were a couple hundred miles apart. She had no doubt he would follow through and get her back tenfold.

"Goodnight, Klaus," she decided to end the call before her mouth got her into any more trouble.

"Goodnight, sweetheart. Sleep well," he replied softly.

After ending the call she pulled her phone into her charger and set it on the night stand before crawling under the covers. Sleep followed shortly after, her dreams filled with the face of the original hybrid she longed to be with. She had no idea that she'd be seeing him again, much sooner than she ever would have expected.


	18. Under House Arrest

**Chapter 18 - Under House Arrest**

Cassandra let out a frustrated sigh as she rolled over in bed for what felt like the hundredth time. She'd been awake since five thirty in the morning and a glance at her phone's clock told her it was now going on six thirty. Resigned to not being able to fall back asleep, she climbed out of bed and trudged into the bathroom. While she was washing her hands a minute later, an unexpected idea sprang to life in her mind. With an excited grin she quickly changed out of her pajamas and into a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and her Richmond University hoodie. After slipping her shoes on she unplugged her phone and grabbed her purse before heading out to her car.

Half an hour later she walked into the Mystic Falls Hospital with a white bag in one hand and a cup holder with two cups of coffee in the other. She made her way down the hall and stopped she reached a room with one of her mother's deputies standing guard outside. He smiled when he saw her and nodded her approval to on in. Sometimes being the daughter of the Sheriff came in handy.

She gazed at the sleeping form in the hospital bed as she shut the door behind her. She wasn't sure how she wanted to go about waking him up, but a moment later his eyes fluttered open, saving her the trouble.

"I smell coffee," Tyler Lockwood yawned as he slowly sat up.

"I come bearing delicious contraband," Cassandra grinned as she pulled a chair up next to his bed and handed him one of the cups.

"You are the best, Cass," Tyler smiled as he brought the cup up to his lips and took a long sip. Lowering it, he eyed the white bag she held. "What else did you smuggle in here?"

She opened the bag and held it out for him to look into. His face lit up at the contents, and he quickly reached in and pulled out one of the sugary pastries.

"Donuts! This day gets better and better," he brought the round doughnut up to his mouth and took a big bite, groaning in delight as he chewed.

Cassandra reached into the bag and pulled another one out for herself. "I couldn't sleep. Then I had the idea to surprise you with food I know you'd never get to eat in here, and here I am."

He swallowed his bite and took another sip of his coffee. "This is awesome. Best surprise ever. Thanks, Cass."

"Don't mention it. You must be antsy to get out of here."

"Hell yeah. My mom's coming to pick me up later this morning. She says we have to keep up appearances, otherwise I'd have left on my own already."

"Heh, yeah. On my way here I was listening to the local news station, and they were talking about the assassination attempt on the Mayor's son last night," Cassandra told him.

"So that's what they're saying. Huh, well, I guess it's sorta true," Tyler shrugged.

He started to reach into the white bag to get another donut when his head suddenly snapped towards the door, his whole body turned rigid. He glanced back at Cassandra and brought a finger up to his lips, signaling her to be quiet. He was out of bed in a hybrid flash, and in another flash Cassandra found herself standing inside the small hospital bathroom. She crept forward and pressed her ear to the small gap between the door and the frame, silently grateful Tyler hadn't closed the door all the way. She could feel her heart pounding inside her chest as she listened. When the sounds of a struggle began, she had to clamp a hand over her mouth to keep herself from screaming.

"Don't bother. It's a paralytic," she heard a deep voice say, a voice she recognized from the Grill the previous day.

 _Oh my god, it's that hunter, Conner!_ Her mind raced.

She heard Tyler groan in pain, then a moment later the hospital door opened and closed. After a long few seconds of silence she heard the sound of footsteps coming closer to where she was hiding. She stepped back pressing the backside of her body against the sink as she braced herself for whoever was to come through the door. When it opened and she saw Tyler standing there she let out a huge sigh of relief.

"It's okay, he's gone," Tyler motioned for her to come out. "All he wanted was my werewolf venom."

"That's not very comforting, considering we know what it does to vampires," Cassandra hugged him and followed him back into the hospital room.

Cassandra sat back down in the chair next to the bed while Tyler dug out his phone from his bag of personal items.

"I'm calling my mom. The sooner I get out of here, the better," he told her. Cassandra slowly nodded in agreement.

An hour and a half later Cassandra was following Carol and Tyler through the front door of the Lockwood Mansion. Her eyes fell upon two mysterious figures standing in the foyer at the same time Tyler noticed them.

"Who the hell are you two?" Tyler glared at them.

"Tyler, it's okay. They're here for your protection," Carol calmly told her son.

"More deputies?" Tyler shook his head.

"Not exactly," Klaus slowly walked into the room, a third hybrid following behind him.

"Klaus!" Cassandra squeaked softly in surprise. Under any other circumstances she would have been over the moon to see him, but not in that moment. Somehow, he had found out about the hunter, and chances were, he knew she knew about it and didn't tell him, and he was going to want to know why. It was not a conversation she was looking forward to

"Hello, love," Klaus flashed his million watt smile at her. When he shifted his gaze back to Tyler, his smile vanished.

"They're hybrids," Tyler sighed.

"I was halfway to Chicago when I heard you were attacked," Klaus glared. "I had hoped to leave Mystic Falls for good, but duty calls."

"Nice to know you care," Tyler muttered in a low voice.

Klaus walked towards him, stopping next a small table that Tyler was standing on the other side of. "I don't. I should have killed you for the little stunt you and your friends pulled—stopping my heart, leaving me in a coffin to rot. But, it would hurt Cassandra, and I'd prefer to spare her from that sort of pain."

"Yeah, well you used my body as an escape hatch, then kissed my girlfriend's sister. So maybe we're even."

Klaus shook his head. "Not even close. But, you hybrids are a dying breed. I can't make any more of you, and I won't have anyone taking liberties with the ones I have left. Consider them your new body guards."

With nothing more to say to Tyler, Klaus turned his gaze to Cassandra.

"Cassandra," he held his hand out to her. "Let's you and I have a little chat, shall we?"

She nodded slowly and set her purse down on the table as she placed her hand in his, allowing him to guide her away from the others into a smaller parlor room. Once they were far enough into the room he turned around to face her.

"I believe you left out a few important details when we spoke last night. Why is that?" He arched his eyebrows curiously.

"I know, I know," Cassandra sighed softly. "I thought if I told you about the hunter you'd either want me to leave town and come join you immediately, or you'd rush back here to deal with him yourself and I…well..I didn't like either of those options."

Klaus brought his other hand to her waist and pulled her closer to him. "I am more than capable of dealing with a hunter, love. I've done it before. Though I appreciate the concern."

Cassandra shook her head. "This hunter is smart, Klaus. He has wooden bullets soaked in vervain, a glove soaked in it as well, which is how he discovered Tyler. He took Tyler's werewolf venom at the hospital this morning and is doing god knows what with it. This isn't your average hunter."

"I'm not your average vampire," he stroked her face softly.

"I know you're not," she knew that he was right.

"Well, good. Now that we've gotten that out of the way," he grinned and pulled her close to him as he leaned in and pressed his lips against hers. They lingered there for a long few moments before he pulled away, her eyes slowly fluttering open as he continued to caress her cheek. "While I would love to continue this, there are some things I need to discuss with my hybrids."

She nodded and together they began to walk out of the room. When they reached the doorway he paused and turned toward her.

"One more thing. I want you to stay here, under the protection of my hybrids, until this hunter has been dealt with," he told her casually.

"What?" She stopped in mid-step.. "Stay here? For how long?"

"As long as it takes to end the hunter."

"And if I refuse?"

"Well, I could always compel you to stay here until I tell you otherwise," he spoke in a low voice.

Cassandra's eyes widened slightly. "You would really do that?"

"If that's what it would take to ensure your safety, I would with no hesitation," he tried to reach for her hand, but she leaned away from him and crossed her arms against her chest. "I will not allow another hunter to use you as bait. Don't be mad at me, love."

"Fine," Cassandra sighed. "I won't fight you on this, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about the arrangement."

She walked off before Klaus could say anything else. After wandering through the house, she finally found Tyler sprawled out on a couch in an office type room and plopped down next to him.

"Looks like you have a house arrest buddy," she grumbled.

Tyler blinked and stared at her. "He's making you stay here too?"

"Yep," Cassandra popped the 'p' sound at the end of the word. "Until the hunter is no longer a problem. He doesn't want me to end up being vampire bait again."

"He's got a valid point there," Tyler sighed.

"You are _not_ supposed to agree with him, Tyler!"

"Hey, don't get mad at me for caring about what happens to you."

"I'm not mad, I'm just…frustrated. I hate that this is happening," she banged her head against the couch.

"So do I, Cass," he told her softly.

They both fell silent and continued to do next to nothing as the minutes slowly passed. Cassandra tried to entertain herself with her phone, but it could only hold her attention for a little while before she became bored again. Tyler, on the other hand, had taken to tossing his football from one hand to the other. Cassandra eyed the leather ball, and a moment later reached out and grabbed it unexpectedly while it was in mid-flight, catching Tyler off guard.

"Oh! Who has the fast moves now, huh?" She snickered with a grin.

He laughed softly with a shake of his head. "I guess I can give you that one."

As she grinned and tossed the ball back to him, a brunette Cassandra had never seen before walked into the room.

"So this is where you've been hiding, huh?" The brunette wore a grin on her face as she walked around the couch and into Cassandra and Tyler's line of sight.

"Hayley?" Tyler stared at her in disbelief.

Cassandra watched as Tyler rose to his feet and walked over to Hayley, hugging her tightly. Clearly he knew this woman, she just didn't know to what capacity. For a second she thought the young woman, Hayley, was going to kiss him the way she cupped his neck and gazed back at him, but then she shoved him in the chest, easing some of Cassandra's suspicions for the moment.

"I chained you up all over the Appalachians. I talked you through every turn. I helped you break the sire bond. You could have told me your real story," Hayley said to Tyler.

"Really?" Cassandra arched her eyebrows as she folded her arms across her chest. "You never mentioned you had help breaking the bond, Tyler. Were you ever going to say anything?"

"Eventually. I just...hadn't gotten around to it yet," Tyler answered slowly.

"Obviously," Cassandra rolled her eyes.

Tyler sighed as he turned back to Hayley. "I didn't want anyone to follow me back. Werewolves weren't safe around Klaus, and you shouldn't be here either. His hybrids are all over this house, and so is he," he lowered his voice.

"I know," Hayley stood up from the edge of the desk she'd been sitting on. "One of his hybrids is with a pack I ran with. He called me and told me that he was coming to protect a guy named Tyler, and I thought, 'what are the chances?'"

Tyler and Hayley shared a silent glance before Hayley continued with a smile. "Well, the least you could do is pour me some fancy, rich-people scotch."

"Sure. Absolutely," he nodded with a smile and walked off to get some glasses and a bottle while Hayley made herself comfortable on the couch next Cassandra.

"So, you must be Caroline," Hayley eyed the blonde.

"Her older sister Cassandra, actually," Cassandra gave her a polite smile.

"Oh, sorry," Hayley smiled apologetically.

"Don't worry about it," Cassandra waved her off. "Happens a lot in this town."

Hayley nodded as she looked around the room. "So how far back do you and Tyler go?"

"Way back," Cassandra's lips slowly curled into a smirk. "I baby sat him when he was a kid."

"Nuh uh. Get out! What was he like?" Hayley asked with an amused laugh.

"Pretty much what you'd expect. A brat who loved getting into mischief. This one time, I think he was about seven years old and..." Cassandra began to recall a memory she had, but before she could get into the details, Tyler reappeared and cut her off.

"Woah. No need to go down memory lane like that, Cass," Tyler shook his head as he handed a glass to her and Hayley.

"Aw, come on," Hayley whined.

"I'll tell you later, Hayley. When he's not around," Cassandra grinned, much to Tyler's dismay.

He rolled his eyes as he leaned against the edge of the desk and took a sip from the glass in his hand. Cassandra and Hayley followed suit and drank from their own glasses. As Cassandra was swallowing her sip she heard the sound of her cell phone buzzing on top of the coffee table where she'd placed it. She leaned forward and picked it up, finding an incoming message from Rebekah on her screen. _I'm having a Ditching Party at my new house,_ the message began. _You are more than welcome to come. Just don't bring my brother with you._

With a soft sigh she quickly typed out a message, letting Rebekah know her dear older brother had her under house arrest with Tyler so she couldn't come, otherwise she would have made an appearance. After hitting send she slipped her phone back into her purse and took another sip of her drink.

A little while later, a knock at the front door pulled Tyler away from where they'd been hanging out. Curious, she followed him down to the foyer and was pleasantly surprised to see her sister standing on the other side of the front door.

Caroline beamed from ear to ear as she jumped towards Tyler and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I ditched Rebekah's ditching party," She kissed him passionately.

When she pulled away, she gasped in surprise as her eyes landed on the figures of two hybrids standing farther back in the foyer.

"What's with all the testosterone?" She asked, confused. Then she noticed her sister. "Cass? What are you doing here?"

"Hybrids," Tyler answered. I'm on house arrest. So's Cass."

"Says who? Your mom? Come on, sneak out. Cass will cover for us," she motioned her head behind her at the front door while flashing a persuasive smile at her sister.

"Not my mom, Caroline," he told her slowly.

Caroline stared at him, still confused. Tyler stared back at her, waiting for her to figure it out. A moment later, realization finally hit her.

"You're kidding me," Caroline looked from him to Cassandra. "Klaus?"

Cassandra walked over and stood beside them. "You should go to the party, Care. We'll be fine here."

"But, I'd rather hang with you," Caroline replied softly. "Both of you."

"Trust me, I am no fun right now," Tyler shook his head.

Caroline nodded slowly, but the disappointment in her eyes didn't go unnoticed by Cassandra.

"I'll call you later," Cassandra murmured as she hugged Caroline goodbye. _After I chew out your boyfriend for keeping quiet about his visiting friend Hayley._

She watched from the doorway as Caroline walked to her car and climbed in. Once she drove away, Cassandra closed the front door and turned around, fully prepared to give Tyler a piece of her mind, and discovered he was no longer there. She trudged back to the study where she'd been hanging out with Tyler earlier. When she was a few feet from the doorway she could hear Klaus speaking to Tyler. She quietly hugged the wall just outside the doorway and listened.

"You went off to the Appalachians to break my sire bond," Klaus began his tale. "There, you met a pack of werewolves, begged them for help. Among them was a girl. She was gorgeous, with the same animal instincts as you. Emotions ran high, inhibitions ran low."

"Stop it," Tyler shook his head, his back to Klaus.

Ignoring him, Klaus pressed on. "Then, in a moment of weakness, the thick sexual tension became something much more real."

"I said stop!" Tyler roared, making Cassandra flinch slightly.

"And Caroline has no idea," Klaus finished in a low voice.

Cassandra picked that moment to reveal herself and walked in with her arms folded across her chest. "But her sister does."

Klaus turned toward Cassandra and gazed at her apologetically. "I'm sorry you had to find out like that, love."

Cassandra shook her head as she walked around him and stopped in front of Tyler. She glared at him, fully intending to read him the riot act, but before she could open her mouth to yell, the phone on the desk started ringing. Klaus walked over and picked it up. His lips curled into a smile as he read the caller's name on the little screen.

"Hello, Damon," Klaus held the phone up to his ear.

"Oh this day just keeps getting better and better," Cassandra scoffed after learning the caller was Damon Salvatore.

"Tyler's otherwise occupied, making big decisions about honesty and whatnot. Is there anything I can do?" Klaus went on. "He wouldn't. I, however, would be more than happy to assist. I'll be there shortly.

He hung up the phone and walked over to Cassandra. "I suppose the two of you have much to discuss. I, on the other hand, have a hunter to go deal with." He kissed her lightly on the cheek and left the room.

Cassandra waited a beat before turning to Tyler and shoved him hard. "How could you! How could you do that to Caroline after everything you two have been through? She loves you!"

"Woah, take it easy!" Tyler put his hands up defensively. "I didn't cheat on Caroline. I love her. I would never do that to her."

"Well then why did you let Klaus go on and on like that?" Cassandra rested her hands on her hips.

"I was stunned that he even came up with that in the first place, but now that it's out there, it's what I want him to believe."

"What? Why?"

"Because there are things about my time in the Appalachians that I don't want him to know about, and if he thinks he has what happened all figured out he won't continue to dig for details."

"What kind of things?"

Tyler closed his eyes, sighing softly. "If I tell you, you have to _swear to me_ you won't tell Klaus. If he finds out what Hayley and I are really up to, he'll kill us."

"Woah. Tyler, whatever it is, I swear it stays between you and me," Cassandra placed a hand on his arm.

"Okay," he took a deep breath before continuing in a softer voice. "Hayley and I are going to help the other hybrids break their sire bond to Klaus."

"Oh wow. That's….that's huge," she now understood the need for secrecy.

"Yeah," Tyler nodded.

Cassandra gave him a reassuring smile. As much as she hated keeping things from Klaus, she knew there was no way she could ever tell him about this. Tyler was right, Klaus would kill them all if he found out, and she wasn't going to let that happen. She hated the whole idea of the sire bond and wanted the hybrids to have their free will back.

"You are going to tell Caroline, right?" Cassandra asked as she and Tyler wandered into the kitchen to get something to eat.

"Yes, I just don't know when exactly," Tyler replied as he opened the refrigerator.

"Well, I'd suggest sooner rather than later, but that's just me," Cassandra shrugged as she started poking around in the pantry.

They ended up making spaghetti because they had everything they needed and it was easy. After they ate and cleaned up everything in the kitchen they moved to the room Cassandra dubbed "The Lounge" and watched a movie.

Later Tyler showed Cassandra to one of the guest rooms and gave her a t-shirt and pair of basketball style shorts of his to sleep in before heading off to his own room for the night. She changed clothes and went downstairs into the kitchen to get a drink of water. When she was done she placed her glass into the sink. As she turned around to leave, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she came face to face with Klaus.

"Klaus!" She put a hand on her chest as her heart pounded inside her chest. "You know, I'm really starting to hate when you do that."

The grin Klaus wore on his face when she turned around faded as he took notice of her attire. Cassandra noticed the sudden change in his expression and stared at him confused.

"What? What is it?" She realized he was staring at her and started to look over her appearance. "Is there something on me?"

"Tyler Lockwood's scent is all over you," he grumbled in a low voice.

"Really?" She lowered her nose to her sleeve and inhaled, but all she smelled was fresh linen.

"You wouldn't be able to detect it. You don't have a hybrid's sense of smell."

"Oh."

"Why are you wearing his clothes?" Klaus narrowed his eyes.

Cassandra stared at him, momentarily dumbfounded by his question. "Uhhh, well, I didn't want to sleep in the clothes I'd been wearing all day, so Tyler was kind enough to lend me these."

"Of course he was," Klaus scoffed.

"Woah. Hang on," Cassandra leaned back slightly. "What is going on with you? Are you really bothered by my wearing Tyler's clothes? I didn't think it was a big deal."

She could tell by the look on his face that she hit that nail right on the head.

"Oh my gosh," Her eyes widened as she brought a hand to her mouth to silence the giggle that began brewing in her chest. "It _does_ bother you."

Klaus folded his arms across his chest. "Maybe it does. Is it really so hard to believe? Imagine I lent my jacket to, oh let's say Hayley, would you not be bothered by it?"

Cassandra opened her mouth to speak, then promptly shut it again. He'd made a damn good point, and he knew that she knew it.

"That's what I thought," he correctly concluded when she remained silent.

"You know what, fine. If it really bothers you that much then...," she paused and, without taking the time to think it through, quickly peeled the t-shirt over her head. She tossed it on the floor, then dropped the shorts down to her feet and stepped out of them, leaving her standing in front of him in nothing but her bra and underwear. "There you go. I'm not wearing them anymore. Happy now?"

She watched Klaus's eyes momentarily fill with lust as he took in the sight of her undergarment clad body, but before it could take control of his actions he pushed it away. Deciding she'd made her point loud and clear, Cassandra started to move around him towards the door, but he blocked her path.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked, arching his eyebrows.

"Upstairs to the guest room I'm staying in, to go to bed," she answered simply.

"Not looking like that, you're not," Klaus said in a low voice as he shook his head. "I will not allow anyone to see you in such a state of undress, especially my hybrids."

Cassandra felt a smile tugging at her lips, knowing she'd just won their little disagreement. "You sure? According to you I'll be covered in Tyler's scent if I wear them."

"Just put them back on," Klaus pleaded with his eyes. Cassandra quickly obliged and pulled the shirt and shorts back on.

"Satisfied?"

"More or less."

"Well, good. Now, I was serious about wanting to go to bed. It's been a long day and I'm…" she stopped short when Klaus used his hybrid speed to push her up against the wall next to the kitchen doorway and slammed his lips onto hers.

He kissed her with a hunger she'd never experienced before, and it left her weak in the knees. Eventually his lips began to move along her jawline until they reached her neck. He began to suck and nip at her soft skin while his hands ran up and down her sides. As she held onto his shoulders a soft moan escaped her lips. The sudden sound caused her eyes to snap open and pulled her out of the moment.

"Klaus, we can't," Cassandra murmured breathlessly as she brought a hand up to cup his face. "Carol could walk in here at any moment, and if she found us like this she'd never let me stay here again."

"Nonsense," Klaus chuckled softly. "I'd just compel her to forget what she walked in on."

"Klaus…" Cassandra shook her head slowly.

He laughed again as he ran his fingers through her hair "Oh, come on, love. You can't be surprised by that anymore."

"No I suppose not," she sighed lightly.

"Well then, it seems your reason for stopping me isn't a reason at all," he slowly leaned his head towards her neck, intending to pick up where he left off, when she moved a hand to his chest, pushing him back lightly.

"Klaus!" Her eyes were big as a laugh escaped her lips.

"What?" He stared back at her with a devilish glint in his eyes. "You were the one who undressed in front of me, and while I know you were only trying to make a point, you did much, much more."

Cassandra stared at him as her brain started to fully process what she had done a few minutes earlier. She could feel her cheeks rapidly growing warm.

"Oh my god. I really did that. I really stripped right in front of you. Oh my god," she covered her face with her hands and hid against Klaus's chest.

He gently lifted her head up using her wrists and pulled her hands away from her face. "You have nothing to be embarrassed about, love."

"I just...after telling you I didn't want us getting carried away the other night, I've gone and done the very thing I didn't want to do." She sighed.

"Would it help if I said I forgive you?" He ran his hands along her forearms.

"Maybe, I guess."

"Then I forgive you. Did it help?"

A small smile tugged at the edges of her lips. "A little, yeah."

"Good," he smiled back at her.

Deciding he'd detained her in the kitchen long enough, despite his innermost desires, he took her by the hand and walked her upstairs to the room she was staying in. While they walked he decided to fill her in on what had transpired with the hunter.

"I want you to stay here a while longer," Klaus told her as they came to a stop next to the guest room door. "I'll have some of your things brought over in the morning.

"What...you don't want me borrowing anymore of Tyler's clothes?" She joked. He stared at her, unamused with her humor. "Well, I thought it was funny.

"You know, I think you're right about needing sleep. You're delirious."

"You know what I think?" Cassandra raised her eyebrows. "I think someone's just a little jealous that the clothes I'm wearing aren't his."

"That's ridiculous," Klaus shook his head, chuckling.

"I disagree, but if you want to swim in the river they call denial, go right ahead. I'm going to bed. I'll see you in the morning."

She started to turn on her heel to walk through the bedroom door, but before she could take a step Klaus pulled her back into his arms. He leaned in and kissed her lips tenderly.

"Goodnight, love." He whispered. "Sleep well."

She nodded and stole one last kiss as he released her from his arms. She walked through the doorway, stealing one last glance at him, and flashed him a smile before slowly closing the door behind her.

* * *

 **I had so much fun writing this chapter. Klaus found out about the hunter, Haylay made her first appearance, Cassandra is in on Tyler and Hayley's plan to help the other hybrids break the sire bond. Will she be successful at keeping this from Klaus? What will Caroline's reaction be when she finds out Cassandra neglected to tell her about Tyler's new werewolf house guest, Hayley? Stay tuned to find out! Thank you again for taking the time to read my story and a big big thanks to those who leave reviews. You guys are the best! Enjoy!**


	19. Secrets and Lies

**Shorter chapter here, but it still nice and meaty. Thank you again to those who have left reviews. They mean the world to me. And thank you to everyone out there who is continuing to read this. You guys rock! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 19 - Secrets and Lies**

Two Days Later

"Hey Rebekah. It's Cassandra. I was just calling to see how things were going at your new place. I wish I could come over to see it. If you wanted to come and bust me out of here, I wouldn't object. Anyway, call me back. I'd love to talk to someone who isn't a werewolf. No, that doesn't include your brother," Cassandra chuckled softly as she ended her voicemail to Rebekah. She'd been trying to get a hold of her since the previous afternoon by text message, but Rebekah never responded. She couldn't help thinking back to the last time Rebekah had been unreachable—the night of the Decade Dance. The worst part was the only person who would share her concern was across the Atlantic in Italy for the next couple of days. She decided if she didn't hear from Rebekah by the time Klaus came back, she'd bring it to his attention.

Pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind, Cassandra made her way out of the guest room she'd been staying in the past two nights and headed downstairs in search of Tyler. She reached the base of the stairs just as someone knocked loudly on the front door. She quickly walked up to it and pulled it open.

"Damon," she gasped in surprise at the raven haired, blue eyed Salvatore. Then she noticed the brunette beside him. "Elena. What are you guys doing here?"

"It's Jeremy," Elena's eyes were full of worry. "Conner's holding him hostage at the grill."

"Where's Tyler?" Damon folded his arms as he looked around the foyer.

"Oh no!" Cassandra covered her mouth in shock. "Uh, he's around here somewhere."

Not needing to be invited in, Damon walked through the threshold and started to step around Cassandra. When Elena attempted to follow, she was blocked by an invisible barrier.

"You haven't been invited in since you became a vampire," Cassandra whispered.

Damon whipped his head back around. "You've got to be kidding me."

He pulled out his phone and dialed a number before bringing it up to his ear. "Hello Carol. I'll make this quick. Would you invite Elena inside? Thanks."

He handed the phone to Elena and a couple of seconds later she stepped through the doorway. She handed Damon back his phone after ending the call, and the three of them headed through the foyer to the family room where they found Tyler and Caroline.

"Has anyone heard from Stefan?" Elena asked? "He hasn't been answering his phone."

Tyler, Caroline, and Cassandra shook their heads. Unwilling to wait, Damon started to discuss strategy. Cassandra felt a little out of place being the only human in the room at that moment. It wasn't like she could really be a voice in the discussion. Even if there was a way she could help, she knew they'd never let her, and she couldn't blame them. With a sigh, she settled onto the couch and listened to the chatter. At one point, Caroline disappeared to call their mom while Tyler called more of the hybrids for reinforcements.

The moment Stefan walked into the room, Cassandra's body stiffened. She inhaled slowly and focused her gaze anywhere but on the younger Salvatore. She wished she could be anywhere else in the huge mansion at that moment, but to actually get up and leave would make people like Tyler and her sister begin to suspect she was bothered by something or someone, and she didn't want to get into it with the two of them. She could hear them telling her to get over it, but it wasn't just something she could forget about or push away, as much as she wished to. She needed time.

"Yeah, we have a plan," Damon's voice interrupted her thoughts and pulled her back into the present conversation. "The plan is I'm going to rip Connor's heart out and I'm going to feed it to him."

"That's not a plan," Stefan narrowed his eyes at Damon. "We need to be careful. Connor has Jeremy and who knows how many other hostages."

"Hence the open heart surgery," Damon smirked.

"Damon' right," Elena agreed. "Conner's strong, but he's not going to be able to take all of us."

As Tyler added that he had called the hybrids to help as well, Caroline walked back into the room.

"Our mom put squad cars blocking the streets. They're saying it's a faulty gas main." She told the group. "We're good to go."

"Good. Great. No cops, no witnesses, no reason to wait around," Damon was ready to move forward with his plan, but Stefan had other plans of his own.

"All right, hold on. You're not all going," Stefan put a hand up as he looked at Elena, Caroline, and Tyler.

When the arguing and protesting picked up, Cassandra wanted to be anywhere else but in that room. She had already felt like leaving the moment Stefan arrived, and now it was taking every ounce of self-control she had to remain seated on the small couch. An opportunity to leave didn't present itself until Damon stormed off after Stefan told everyone not to do anything until he had time to figure out what the hunter was really up to. She used his exit to calmly stand up and head in the opposite direction to another room. She had been so focused on slipping away from the group that she hadn't been paying attention to the path in front of her and nearly walked into Hayley as she rounded a corner.

"Woah, sorry!" She stammered as she caught herself at the last second and stumbled backwards.

"That's okay," Hayley flashed her a small smile. "What's with all the bickering in there?"

"Oh that. That hunter, Conner, he has hostages at the Mystic Grill. It's the local diner in town. I don't even know why I hung around in there for so long in the first place. It's not like I can do anything, and even if I could, I know my sister and Tyler would never allow it."

"So that's what Dean was talking about," Hayley murmured to herself. When Cassandra stared at her confused, she continued. "Dean's a buddy of mine and one of Klaus's hybrids. I was just talking to him on the phone. He was telling me he just gotten a call from Klaus about going after some hunter, but he hung up before I could get any details."

"Ah, " Cassandra nodded slowly. "Well, now you know as much as I do. Which, unfortunately, isn't a whole lot."

Hayley shrugged it off and pulled out her phone to try to get a hold of Dean again. Cassandra walked around her and went over to the small table up against the wall where a couple of crystal decanters were with different golden brown liquids inside. She poured some into a glass and brought it to her lips, taking a small sip.

"Want anything to drink?' Cassandra called over her shoulder.

"More rich-people scotch? Hell yes," Hayley nodded and came over to join her as Cassandra poured some into another glass.

"I, um," Cassandra paused and took another sip from her glass. "I never did thank you for helping Tyler break the sire bond. I know from what my sister has told me how excruciating it is to turn and I'm glad he didn't have to go through that alone."

"He's a really good guy and deserves to be free. All the hybrids do."

"I agree with you there."

They continued to chat for a little while longer, until a familiar voice in the other room grabbed Hayley's attention. Cassandra walked alongside her as they made their way back to the family room.

"That's Dean," Hayley nodded at the man in the room a few yards ahead that Tyler was talking to. Cassandra couldn't hear what the two hybrids were saying, but before she could do anything about it Caroline walked up to the doorway blocking their view. She had her back to Cassandra and Hayley, watching as Tyler followed after Dean who had walked off. Caroline slowly turned around to see her sister and Hayley.

"Uh, who are you?" Caroline stared at Hayley curiously.

"Who the hell are you?" Hayley narrowed her eyes as she stared back.

Cassandra quickly turned to Hayley. "This is my sister Caroline."

"Oh, you're Tyler's girl," Hayley realized. "He told me about you. I'm Hayley."

"Well, Hayley, that's pretty crazy 'cause I haven't heard a _thing_ about you," Caroline scoffed, throwing a side glance at her sister.

"I've been staying here a few days," Hayley replied nonchalantly as she tried to look past Caroline for Tyler and Dean.

"Excuse me?" Caroline wasn't sure she heard that right.

"I needed a place to crash, Ty's a buddy. He was kind enough to offer," Hayley didn't think it was a big deal.

Caroline started to approach Hayley, Cassandra momentarily grew nervous about what her sister might do and prepared to jump in front of her if it came to it.

"I know all of Ty's buddies and I haven't heard about you. So, how about we cut the crap," Caroline glared as she folded her arms across her chest.

"Yeah, I don't do teen drama. Take it up with Ty. Excuse me," Hayley shook her head slightly and walked around Caroline to enter the room where Tyler and Dean were. Caroline watched her leave before turning back to Cassandra.

"You knew she was staying here and didn't tell me? Why?" She stared in disbelief.

Cassandra sighed softly. "Yes, I knew. Tyler asked me not to say anything because he wanted to be the one to tell you. It's not what you think, okay? Just give him a chance to explain."

Caroline nodded silently and turned on her heel to head into the other room where everyone was. Cassandra followed after. She stopped behind Tyler as he went on a rant to Dean about Klaus's orders regarding using non-lethal force on the hunter. She already knew Klaus wanted the hunter alive, but she still didn't know why. She made a mental note to do some more digging around before he returned from Italy.

"Klaus gave me a direct order," Dean said sharply.

"It's too dangerous. That maniac already killed Nate," Hayley tried to talk him out of it.

Nate looked over at her. "You're not a hybrid. You don't know what it's like. Klaus asks for something, you do it."

"Look," Tyler walked over to Dean. "I'm a hybrid. I used to do everything Klaus said, but I don't anymore. You don't have to either."

"You think you can stand up to Klaus?" Dean held out his phone to Tyler. "Here. Prove it."

"Tyler, don't," Caroline protested softly as Tyler took the phone from Dean.

Cassandra loosely folded her arms across her chest as she watched Tyler dial Klaus's number and hold the phone up to his ear. She couldn't see Tyler's face so she turned to Caroline, knowing her sister was most certainly listening in. The shell shocked look on Caroline's face at whatever it was she heard Klaus saying on the other end of the phone call proved it.

"Care, what is it? What's he saying?" Cassandra whispered. Caroline was too shocked to answer. A moment later Tyler ended the call and handed the phone back to Dean.

"Do whatever the hell you want," he told the other hybrid before storming off in a huff.

"What the…" Cassandra murmured as she watched Hayley rush after him. She turned back to her sister. "Caroline. What did he say?"

"Like you don't know. You've only been staying here as long as she has," she shook her head as she fought back tears. Cassandra's eyes widened as she realized what must have happened, what Klaus said to Tyler, but before she could explain it, Caroline walked off. As Cassandra went to track down Caroline, she began to realize just how hard it was going to be to let Klaus keep thinking what he wanted to think about Tyler and Hayley and not set him straight for the sake of her sister.

-o-

"I am so sorry," Tyler hugged Hayley tightly as she cried on his shoulder after learning of Dean's demise by the hunter. Cassandra sat on a small couch, shaking her head in disbelief.

"I can't believe Dean's gone," Hayley murmured softly as she pulled back slightly from Tyler. "We could have saved him."

Caroline chose that moment to enter the room. Cassandra and Tyler both turned their heads at the sound of her footsteps and stared at her, wide eyed.

"I apologize. Am I intruding?" Caroline spat with her arms folded across her chest.

"Caroline, it's not like that," Tyler shook his head.

"I keep waiting for you to make up some dumb story so at least I can call you a liar. Is that now?" The blonde vampire glared at him.

"I'll let you two talk," Hayley sighed and turned to leave the room.

"Thank you, how big of you!" There wasn't an ounce of sincerity in Caroline's voice.

Cassandra decided to give her sister and Tyler some time alone to talk things through and quickly rose from the little couch to make her escape from the room. She wandered through the front part of the house and into the dining room. Her phone started to buzz from inside her pocket. With a sigh she slowly pulled it out and found _Incoming Call – Klaus_ flashing back at her. She took a deep breath as she tapped the answer button and the phone up to her ear.

"Hey," she murmured softly.

"Hello, love," Klaus's velvety voice responded. "I just wanted see how you were doing."

"Oh, I'm just peachy," she plopped onto one of the dining room chairs with a huff. She made a quick decision to go along with Tyler's ruse and do what she could to help sell it to Klaus. "This morning I had to endure a bunch of vampires and hybrids arguing about how to handle the hunter, and now my sister is in the middle of a fight with Tyler over the whole Hayley situation. Whatever you said to Tyler on the phone, I'm pretty certain she heard it."

"Serves her right for eavesdropping on other people's phone calls," Klaus chuckled lightly.

Cassandra's lips parted slightly in surprise by his comment. "You know what? I should just hang up on you for that."

"Oh, come on, love. Don't do that. You know I'm right."

"Doesn't mean I want to admit it."

"Fair enough."

"When are you getting back? I'm tired of being cooped up here," she leaned back against the chair, exhaling softly. "And...I miss you."

This made Klaus smile. "I miss you too. I'm actually on my way to the airport as we speak. I should be in the air within the hour and back in Mystic Falls by morning."

"Good," she was glad he was going to be returning in less than a day, "Hey, random question. Have you heard from Rebekah recently? Like in the last day or so. I left her message the day you left, but she never called me back. I'm starting to wonder if something happened."

"All you need to know is that she is safe and sound," he gave a vague answer. It didn't sit well with Cassandra.

"What does that even mean?" She wondered aloud. "What aren't you telling me?"

"Don't worry about it, love."

Cassandra tapped her fingers on the top of the table as she racked her brain trying to figure out what he could possibly be keeping from her that had to do with Rebekah. While she knew they weren't very close, they did get along. Rebekah didn't have many friends in town and wouldn't ignore her of all people. She would have jumped at the chance to show off her new place. Nothing would have kept her from doing that. Unless Rebekah never got her message in the first place, which would mean she lost access to her phone. Cassandra knew better than to think Rebekah had simply misplaced it. No, she was more certain now that the reason she hadn't heard from Rebekah was because the original vampire, for some reason, _couldn't_ get back to her, and she only knew of one way that was possible.

"Tell me you didn't," she spoke softly into the phone.

"Tell you what?" Klaus asked innocently.

"Tell me you didn't dagger Rebekah," Cassandra's voice grew louder and edgier.

"I told you she was safe and sound."

"Damn it, Klaus. Why would you do that to her? Is it because she moved out?"

"Of course not. I could care less about that."

"Well then why? And why hide that from me?"

"I knew you'd be upset with me. I have my reasons for what I did."

Cassandra hissed softly. "Reasons you refuse to tell me. You know, I'm really beginning to get tired of all this secrecy. I thought you trusted me."

"I do trust you," Klaus tried to convince her.

"Not enough apparently," she muttered.

"The less people who know all of the pertinent details, the better. Rebekah is one of those that knows everything and..."

"And she would have spilled it all to me. That's it, isn't it? You daggered her to keep her quiet."

Klaus sighed in defeat. "I did what I had to do. And before you think of trying, don't. You'll never find her."

"Doesn't mean I won't try," Cassandra snapped into the phone as she rose to her feet.

"Cassandra..."

"What? She doesn't deserve this. So unless you want to fill me in on this secret you've been keeping, I will give it my best shot. Maybe I know you better than you think when it comes to where you would hide her body."

The only sound she heard in response was a low growl.

"Yeah, that's what I thought. Good luck trying to stop me from forty five hundred miles away," she lowered the phone from her ear as he started to protest and ended the call. Less than five seconds later he was calling her again, but she refused to answer, sending him to her voicemail instead. She ran upstairs to grab her purse and jacket and quickly came back down. When she opened the front door, she jumped in surprise at finding a dark-skinned, muscular man blocking her way.

"Who are you?" she asked slowly.

"I'm Chris. Are you Cassandra?" The dark skinned man she now knew went by Chris spoke in a friendly voice

Cassandra tightened her grip on her purse straps. "That depends on why you want to know."

"Klaus told me to make sure you stay inside."

"You're one of his hybrids."

"Yeah," Chris nodded.

"Oh that's just perfect," Cassandra muttered.

"He said to do whatever it takes to keep you from leaving."

"You mean compel me to stay put."

Chris nodded. "Or lock you in your room."

"You know what, fine. Whatever," Cassandra threw up her hands in defeat and turned around to head back upstairs, leaving Chris in the doorway. She thought about sending Klaus an angry text message, but she didn't want to give him the satisfaction of knowing he'd won, so she said nothing. When she came back into the hall after dropping her purse and jacket back off in her room, she found Chris leaning against the wall across from the doorway. "So you're just going to follow me around now? Like a personal bodyguard?"

"Pretty much, yeah. Until he gets back from Italy," Chris gave her a small nod.

"Lucky me," Cassandra sighed as she headed back downstairs with Chris in tow.

She found Tyler and Hayley in the kitchen digging out whatever liquor they could find in the fridge and cupboards. Tyler was carrying a bottle of vodka over to counter to put it with the rest of the bottles already there when Cassandra walked up to him and grabbed it out of his hand.

"Did Caroline go home?" She asked as she twisted the lid off and brought the bottle up to her lips, taking a big sip.

"Yeah," Tyler answered slowly as he watched her drink from the bottle. "Are you okay?"

"Nope. Klaus is an ass," she took another drink.

"You're just now realizing this?" Tyler grinned.

She smacked his shoulder, laughing. "Shut up!"

"Seriously, though. What happened?"

"You know what? It doesn't matter. I just want to let loose and have a little fun."

"You heard her," Hayley walked over with a couple of bottles in her hands. "Let's get this party started!"

They spent the remainder of the evening hanging out in the parlor, laughing and drinking in Dean's honor. All thoughts of searching for Rebekah were forgotten as the night went wore on.


	20. Let's Make A Deal

**Chapter 20 - Let's Make A Deal**

Cassandra slowly stirred from her peaceful slumber as gentle fingers tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and stroked her cheek softly. Her eyes slowly fluttered open to find Klaus sitting on the edge of the bed gazing down at her.

"Ugh. Go away. I'm still mad at you," she groaned as she rolled away from him and pulled the covers over her head.

"Oh, come on, love. Don't be like that," Klaus chuckled lightly. He reached out and lowered the covers from her head. She still refused to look at him and hid her face against her pillow. She felt his hand against her arm as he tried to move her onto her back, but she shook it away.

"Very well," there was obvious disappointment in his voice. "I'll be down stairs when you're ready to stop being mad at me."

She heard the sound of the bedroom door opening and closing with a soft click. She remained still until she was sure he had really left before rolling onto her back and opening her eyes. She reached over to the nightstand for her phone and quickly sent a text to her sister. _Klaus is back. Thought u might wanna know incase u wanted to get into a fight with tyler in front of him to keep up the ruse._

As Cassandra was getting dressed her phone buzzed with a reply from Caroline. _Thx! Be there soon!_

She set her phone back down after reading the message and moved to stand in front of the big vanity mirror to brush her hair. She was in no rush to go downstairs where a certain original hybrid was waiting, so she took her time. When she did finally make her way down, she found Tyler and her sister standing by the front door. Tyler had a box in his hand of personal items. As soon as Cassandra spotted them she figured out what was going on.

"Alright, come on, let's go. Let's leave them alone. Your talents are needed elsewhere." Klaus motioned to Chris as Cassandra walked up to stand beside Tyler.

"For what?" Tyler asked.

"I think you've got more important things to deal with, mate," Klaus replied, avoiding Tyler's inquiry. Cassandra folded her arms, shaking her head as Klaus met her eyes. He gave the smallest nod, understanding she was still angry with him, and turned to head out the front door, with Chris following behind him.

Caroline slowly shut the door behind him and looked from Hayley to Tyler to Cassandra before her face broke out in a giant grin. Cassandra and Hayley grinned back at her.

"Do you think he bought it?" Caroline asked.

"Hell, I bought it," Hayley nodded as Caroline threw her head back, giggling.

"I know I did," Cassandra agreed.

Caroline reached over and squeezed Cassandra's arm. "Thanks for the head's up that he was here, Cass."

"Of course," Cassandra nodded.

"You girls are good liars," Tyler glanced at Hayley and Cassandra before turning toward Caroline. He pulled her close and kissed her lovingly on the lips

Cassandra smiled as she turned away from the couple and headed towards the kitchen so they could have a moment alone together. When Caroline, Tyler, and Hayley eventually joined her she was seated at the table eating a bowl of cereal.

"So what now?" She asked after swallowing a spoonful.

"Now," Tyler picked up some empty bottles from the counter and tossed them into the trash. "We have to clean up before my mom comes around or she'll read me the riot act."

It didn't take the four of them too long to pick up all of the empty beer cans and liquor bottles. Once the house was back in order they kicked back in the study and began to work on a time table for Tyler and Hayley's plan to help the other hybrids.

-o-

"Hayley is the one that helped me break the sire bond. She showed me what to do, how to help," Tyler was bringing Stefan up to speed on his and Hayley's plans to free the other hybrids. He and the Salvatore vampire, along with Caroline and Cassandra, had gathered in the parlor room later that afternoon. Stefan had called Caroline needing her help to get Elena back after Klaus had taken her. "When she showed up here I thought it was just a coincidence, but it turns out she's been helping one of them. Her friend Chris. And she came to help us get the rest of them out from under Klaus."

"So…are you telling me that Chris isn't sired anymore?" Stefan stared at Tyler as he processed the information he'd just learned.

Caroline turned and grinned at him. "That's exactly what he's saying."

Sitting on the small couch across from Caroline, Cassandra shook her head slightly. She couldn't believe her ears, that Chris had already broken the sire bond when Klaus had ordered him to keep her from leaving the house. Of course, Chris had to act like he was still sired to Klaus, which is why he had followed the original hybrid's instructions. She couldn't be angry with Chris, not for doing what he had to do to keep suspicion off of himself just like Tyler had at the Decade Dance.

The Decade Dance.

Thinking of it immediately brought her mind back onto Rebekah. Maybe now was the perfect time to plan her own escape so she could begin searching for the blonde Mikaelson original, while everyone was focused on helping Elena. She was more determined than ever to find her friend and free her from her daggered prison. Rebekah was the only other person that could give her the answers she wanted regarding what Klaus was up to.

Cassandra was shaken from her thoughts when she realized the room had fallen silent and all eyes were on her.

"What?" She looked from Caroline to Tyler to Stefan. "Why are you all staring at me like that?"

"We need to you to distract Klaus long enough for me to get into his house and get Elena," Stefan broke the silence.

"You're the only one that can do it," Caroline quickly added after seeing the confounded expression appear on her sister's face.

"I'm not exactly speaking to him at the moment," Cassandra folded her arms across her chest.

"All the more reason it has to be _you_ ," Tyler echoed Caroline's sentiment.

Stefan slowly walked over and sat down beside Cassandra on the couch. "Please, Cassandra. I really need your help."

Cassandra stared at him for a long, silent moment as she processed his request and collected her thoughts.

"Wow," she shook her head when she finally continued to speak. "You have a hell of a lot of nerve asking me for help, Stefan."

"I know," he sighed.

"Do you? Do you really?" She quickly rose to her feet, shaking her head as she walked away from the couch. She stopped after a few feet and turned back to face him. "I feel badly for Elena, I really do, but, you didn't give a damn about me when you took Klaus from me, so why should I give a damn about you and what you're going through now that he's taken Elena?"

"Cassandra, I'll never be sorry enough for the way I hurt you that night, but I had no choice. He was going to kill Elena."

"Sure you did. There's always a choice, Stefan. I'm choosing _not_ to help you. Find someone else to distract Klaus," she turned on her heel and walked out of the room. Stefan stood up to go after her, but Caroline put a hand up to stop him.

"Let me talk to her," Caroline said calmly. Stefan nodded and sat back down as Caroline followed after her sister.

Upstairs Cassandra was back in her room packing up her things so she could leave. A light tap on the bedroom door drew her attention. She looked over to see Caroline standing in the doorway, then went back to zipping up her duffle bag.

"Cass," Caroline murmured gently as she walked over the threshold into the bedroom.

"I'm not changing my mind, Caroline," Cassandra kept her eyes down on her bag.

"Just hear me out, okay?" Caroline sat on the edge of the bed.

Cassandra let out a heavy sigh as she folded her arms over her chest and slowly turned toward her sister. "Fine. Go ahead. But make it quick. I've got things to do."

"Look, I get why you don't want to help Stefan. You have every right to feel that way. So, don't do it for him. Do it for me. For Bonnie. Elena is our best friend and she needs our help. I can get Jeremy on the line and get him to beg too if it will help," Caroline watched as the tiniest of smiles tugged at the corner of Cassandra's lips.

"You know, it's ironic," Cassandra laughed, "You pushing me _towards_ Klaus for a change."

"Tell me about it," Caroline laughed with her.

"Ugh. You are a lot harder to say no to than Stefan."

"Does that mean you'll do it?"

Cassandra moved her duffle bag onto the floor and sat down on the bed next to her sister, remaining silent for a long moment before nodding slowly. "Yeah, I'll do it. For you. And Bonnie and Jeremy."

"Thank you," Caroline reached over and gave Cassandra's hand a small squeeze.

Less than an hour later Cassandra was walking up to the entrance of the Mystic Grill in her favorite leather jacket, a low cut, backless V-neck camisole, dark wash skinny jeans, and heels. Once she was inside she panned around looking for Klaus and spotted the back of his head sitting at the bar. She took a deep breath and made her way over to where he was.

"Place looks pretty good considering your hybrid got blown up in it," she said lightly as she walked up the steps and shrugged off her jacket.

"Cassandra," Klaus smiled as he set down the glass of wine he'd just taken a sip from. "You're finally speaking to me again."

Cassandra walked over and stood next to him, placing her jacket on the back of the unoccupied chair. "I am."

"I'm glad," Klaus reached out and took her hand in his.

"Listen, I..um," she paused, glancing down at their joined hands for a brief moment before meeting his eyes again. "I want you to give Elena back."

"Ahh," He looked away, a small smile tugging at his lips. "They sent you to sweet talk me. Well, good form, but I'm afraid I can't do it."

"Why not?"

"She needs my help."

Cassandra furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. "Why does it have to be you? Why can't Stefan help her?"

"Stefan doesn't have the means to help her like I do," he answered. "Look, I'm not going to burden you with the gory details. Just know that she's safe and being taken care of."

"Well, can't blame a girl for trying," Cassandra sighed in defeat.

"No, I suppose not," he chuckled lightly. "Now that you're here, and you look marvelous by the way, can I at least offer you a drink?"

Cassandra thought about it for a quick second and nodded with a smile. "Yeah. I'd like that."

She let go of his hand so she could pull out the chair beside him and take a seat while he flagged the bartender to get her a glass of wine. Once she was seated she reached for his hand again. He watched her with a smile as she laced their fingers together, and then brought the back of her hand up to his lips, kissing it softly.

"So what, if I may ask, made you change your mind about wanting to be around me?" He eyed her curiously.

"I decided I'd been giving you the cold shoulder long enough," she told him.

"You missed me," he grinned.

"Maybe," she smiled, though she refused to look at him as she did so.

The bartender walked over a second later and placed a glass of red wine in front of Cassandra. She thanked him and picked up the glass to take a sip, sighing softly after she swallowed. She greedily took another sip, savoring the mesh of flavors swirling around in her mouth. Klaus picked up his glass and brought it up to his mouth for another sip. They continued to talk softly, though Cassandra couldn't help noticing Klaus was careful about the subjects they broached, like his sister, for instance.

A little while later Cassandra felt her phone vibrating from inside her jacket pocket and pulled it out. She had three new messages from Caroline.

 **Caroline: Stefan lost elena.**

 **Caroline: he needs a vampire to kill. He'll turn someone if he has to.**

 **Caroline: get an answer. fast!**

 _Oh crap,_ Cassandra's stomach dropped. She was going to have to come clean about what the others were up to behind his back and the part they'd gotten her to play in the whole thing. She swallowed the newly formed lump in her throat as she slipped her phone back into her jacket pocket and turned to look at him, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"So," she laughed nervously. "Here's the thing. I didn't just come here to try to get you to release Elena."

"You don't say," Klaus smiled at her.

"I came here to distract you so that Stefan could go to your house and break her out, which he did. And don't get mad, but then he lost her," she trailed off as Klaus's smile disappeared and was replaced with a scowl. He let go of her hand as he jumped out of his chair in an angry fury and started to storm off. Cassandra hurried out of her chair to stop him. "Klaus!"

"Cassandra," Klaus turned around to face her. "You're beautiful, and I adore you, but if you don't stop talking I will _make_ you stop."

He started leave, when she spoke out quickly, stopping him in his tracks. "They figured out how to stop the hallucinations."

He turned around again and walked back up to her. "Ok. You have ten seconds to tell me."

* * *

At the Lockwood Mansion

"You're doing a good thing, Chris," Tyler stood in the foyer as he and Hayley said their goodbyes to their hybrid friend. After letting Stefan break out Elena and subsequently losing her, they all knew Chris needed to hightail it out of Mystic Falls before Klaus found him and killed him.

"Yeah, well, let's see how fast a good thing can get me out of town," Chris said quickly.

Hayley walked up to him and wrapped her arms him in a tight hug. "Call me when you're safe, okay?"

"Yeah,"' he whispered as he hugged her back. He turned from them and reached down for his bag before heading to the front door. He reached for the handle and pulled it open, but he couldn't leave. Instead he found himself face to face with the original hybrid himself. He instinctively took a step backward as Klaus walked through the doorway.

"Going somewhere?" Klaus stared at him. Before Chris could answer, Klaus grabbed him by the throat and used vampire speed to push him up against the staircase. "When I said don't let her out of your sight, what did you think I meant?"

"It's not his fault! It's mine. I was distracting him," Tyler's voice rang out in desperation as Chris coughed and gasped for breath against Klaus's steel grip.

"And maybe you should be the one to die for it," Klaus spat, his eyes still fixed on Chris.

"No one has to die!" Hayley yelled.

Klaus suddenly appeared in front of her, roaring at the top of his lungs. "Did I not say mind your business?!"

"Tyler's covering for me," she spoke calmly. "I'm the one that let her go."

"Hayley…" Tyler hissed, not wanting her to take the blame.

"No," she put up her hand to stop Tyler from talking as she kept her eyes locked onto Klaus. "You want someone dead, go ahead. Kill me. I'd rather die anyway then end up as one of your sired little bitches."

Klaus shook his head, a small smirk tugging at his lips. "Don't tempt me, little wolf."

He turned away from her and walked back over to Chris. "Your existence is to serve me," he said in a low voice. "To please me. Do you understand?"

"I'm sorry," Chris stammered. "I won't fail you again,"

"No. You won't," Klaus shook his head. He stared at Chris for a long second before nodding his head towards the front door. "Get out of here."

Chris wasted no time walking around Klaus towards the door, but before he got there Stefan rushed in and slammed a wooden stake into his chest.

"No!" Hayley clapped a hand over her mouth as Chris fell to the floor, while Tyler stared in shock.

Stefan took a step forward, his eyes on Tyler as Jeremy entered the front door holding an axe in his hand.

"Jeremy?!" Tyler gasped in surprise at the sight of his friend. Klaus watched with an amused smile as Tyler started yelling. "What the hell, man!"

"I'm sorry," Stefan looked at Tyler with sincerity in his eyes, then turned and nodded at Jeremy. The younger Gilbert raised the ax above his head and took a hard swing. Hayley screamed in horror as he chopped off Chris's head.

-o-

Cassandra didn't return to the Lockwood Mansion until a couple of hours after everything had transpired. After letting herself in, she wandered around until she found Tyler and Caroline huddled together on a couch on the far end of the parlor, while Hayley slept curled up on the other end.

"Tyler. Caroline," she murmured softly as she approached them from behind. Tyler lifted his head slightly and glanced over his shoulder. Caroline had been resting her head on Tyler's shoulder and lifted it up at the sound of her sister's voice.

"It's just us," he sighed, the devastation clearly evident in his voice. "Paying our respects to Chris."

Cassandra walked around the couch and stood beside the round coffee table that was across from it, watching as he took a drink from a bottle of scotch he'd been holding.

"Tyler, I'm so, so sorry," Cassandra sighed softly. "We didn't have a choice."

Tyler started shaking his head back and forth. "I told him we had his back. I told him if he helped us he'd be free."

"We needed to help our friend," Caroline gently placed a hand on his arm.

He turned to look at her. "Yeah, we helped our friend by handing over another friend."

"Chris wasn't.." Caroline started to shake her head.

"Chris _was_ a friend, Caroline. He's like me. He's a part of my pack. All he wanted to do was be unsired by that disgusting piece of…" He trailed off with a frustrated sigh. Cassandra was grateful he hadn't finished that particular thought. She knew he was hurting, though, and couldn't really blame him or hold it against him. After he'd taken a couple of breaths, he turned his gaze back to Cassandra. "How did you even get Klaus to agree to give up one of his hybrids?"

Cassandra slowly turned away from them. She knew they weren't going to like her answer. "Uh, well…" she swallowed slowly as she thought back to the last conversation she'd had with Klaus.

 _"_ _You have ten seconds to tell me," Klaus told her._

 _"_ _Jeremy needs to kill a vampire. By killing a vampire, he becomes the new hunter, thus ending the curse on Elena," Cassandra explained as quickly as she could. "The easiest and fastest solution is, well, one of your hybrids."_

 _Klaus frowned and shook his head. "Absolutely not."_

 _"_ _I thought you wanted to help Elena. This is the way to do that."_

 _He bit his lip as he thought it over momentarily. "Fine. If I am to agree to this I want something in return."_

 _"_ _And what's that?" She asked slowly._

 _He closed the gap between them and brought a hand to the side of her face, gently caressing her cheek as he lowered his lips to speak softly into her ear. "I want you._ All _of you."_

 _She seemed to lose all ability to speak for a number of seconds following the words that had left his mouth. She knew that their relationship had been heading in that direction, but she hadn't anticipated his using the level of intimacy they had yet to reach as a bargaining chip._

 _"_ _Well?" He chuckled softly, bringing her back from her stunned silence. "Do we have a deal?"_

 _"_ _Ahem, sorry," she cleared her throat as she tried to shake away the bewildered feeling in her mind. "Question. What if I'm not ready?"_

 _"_ _Those are my terms. One of my hybrids in exchange for being with you in the most intimate of ways. It is the only way I will willingly give up one of them."_

 _"_ _I see."_

 _"_ _So what's it going to be, love? Every second Elena is out there on her own in her current state puts her a second closer to taking her own life."_

 _Cassandra knew she couldn't let that happen to Elena. She couldn't stand by and let her die again, this time for good._

 _"_ _I'll do it," she whispered. "You have a deal."_

 _"_ _Are you sure? I don't want you to do anything you aren't ready for," He searched her eyes._

 _She brought a hand up to the side of his face and ran her fingers against his scruffy cheek, smiling at him. "Yes. I'm sure."_

"Spit it out Cass," Caroline sighed impatiently.

Cassandra slowly spun back around to face them. "I agreed to sleep with him."

"Are you kidding me right now?" Caroline snapped in a high pitched voice while Tyler stared silently in disbelief. "How can you...I can't even…just..ugh. No."

"If it wasn't what I wanted I never would have agreed to it in the first place. There is no need to freak out over it," Cassandra tried to calm her sister down.

"Freak out? FREAK OUT? You're talking about having sex with Klaus and you're telling me not to freak out?" Caroline jumped to her feet and walked over to a nearby table to pour herself a strong drink. "I can't believe you agreed to that!"

"It's my choice, Care. It's what I want. Besides," she turned her head toward Tyler, "Now Klaus will be completely distracted so Tyler and Hayley can continue helping the other Hybrids."

Tyler nodded and wordlessly stood up. He walked over to the round table Cassandra was next to and poured what was left in the bottle he'd been holding into an empty glass. The next thing Cassandra knew he was throwing the bottle against the wall across the room, the sound of shattering glass making her flinch in fear. The loud noise stirred Hayley from her slumber.

"What the hell is going on?" Hayley slowly pushed herself up to a sitting position.

"Nothing. Nothing at all," Tyler glanced over at Hayley for a second before turning back to Cassandra. He stared at her with hard, angry eyes. "Just celebrating the life of a fallen hybrid friend."

She stared back at him with wide eyes. She was stunned by his anger fueled outburst. Caroline's she had expected, but Tyler's actions completely threw her off kilter.

"I'm just going to go grab my stuff upstairs and get going," she stammered softly, high tailing it out of the room.

In less than twenty minutes she was in her car driving back to Klaus's mansion. The streets were empty, making for a quick drive. Once she had parked, she trudged inside and went up to her room, her duffel bag strap on one shoulder while her purse straps were on the other. She set her things down on the bed and unzipped her duffel bag so she could begin to unpack. As she was putting some folded t-shirts into one of the dresser drawers, she felt a pair of strong arms suddenly snake around her from behind.

"Welcome back, love," Klaus whispered in her ear, sending a shuddering chill through her body. He moved her hair to the side and lowered his lips onto her neck, kissing her gently for a moment before whispering again. "Nothing's going to happen tonight. There are some special arrangements I want to take care of first. But it will be soon. _Very soon._ "

"Oh..kay," Cassandra murmured barely above a whisper, nodding her head slightly.

"I think the anticipation of our union will only intensify the actual experience. Don't you agree?" He kissed her neck again, this time gently sucking and nipping at her soft skin, while he placed a hand flat against her stomach.

"Y..yes," she swallowed slowly. She was instantly hyperaware of how close his fingertips were to the top edge of her jeans. She was certain her heart rate had jumped, and a second later she felt his warm breath tickling her skin as he smiled, confirming he knew it too. He chuckled softly in her ear before spinning her around so she was facing him. He leaned in captured her lips in a gentle kiss, one she felt was much too short.

"You know it's not nice getting a girl all worked up like that," she shook her head after he pulled away.

"I know, but it is quite enjoyable from my perspective," he smirked.

She laughed softly, rolling her eyes. "Of course it is. Just remember payback is a bitch."

"Consider that challenge accepted."

"Oh, I do."

She flashed him a mischievous grin and a second later they both burst out laughing.

"And on that note I think I'll bid you goodnight. I think we both have had a rather eventful day," Klaus murmured softly.

He kissed her briefly one more time before letting go of her. Cassandra said a soft goodnight and followed him over to the door, giving him one last smile as he walked out before closing the door behind her. She couldn't deny she was a little disappointed he didn't stay for another sleepover, but they would be sharing a bed again soon enough, so her discontent was short lived. She hoped her choice to take Klaus's deal wasn't causing her and Caroline to take a giant step backwards in regards to repairing the relationship between them, but that, she decided as she headed into the bathroom to turn on the shower, was a dilemma for another night.

* * *

 **Well, there you have it. Was there really any other deal Cassandra could have made? I certainly couldn't think of one. Yes, it's quite possible the next chapter just might have some steamy bits, so keep your eyes peeled for that. Thank you to everyone that's been continuing to read this and leave reviews. I want you all to know that I see what you're all saying, the questions you're asking. You will get your answers eventually as the plot continues to progress. I promise it will be well worth the wait.**


	21. Coffins, Pageants, and a Little Romance

**Surprise! I thought I would treat you guys with an earlier than usual update! This chapter needs no introduction. I know most of you have been waiting a long time for what's about to happen. I hope you guys really enjoy this. Thank you again for all of the amazing and wonderful reviews!**

* * *

 **Chapter 21 – Coffins, Pageants, and a Little Romance**

The mansion was eerily still as Cassandra tip toed down the winding staircase, using the darkness for cover. After she'd had a chance to wind down and relax in bed before she went to sleep the night before, her mind had once again drifted to Klaus's sister, Rebekah. She had realized she'd practically been handed a golden opportunity and knew she couldn't let it pass her by. It's why she found herself sneaking out of the mansion at five in the morning the following day. She knew her best chance to get away was while Klaus was still fast asleep because once he awoke and discovered her absence, she knew it wouldn't take him long to find her.

She held her breath as she slowly opened the front door and slipped outside. She all but ran to her car, sighing in relief as she locked the doors once she was safely inside and clicked her seat belt into place. She put the key into the ignition and turned it, bringing the car's engine to life. With a final glance in her mirrors she put the car into drive and pulled away.

She tried not to speed through the empty streets. The last thing she wanted was to get pulled over by one of her mom's deputies, but she was eager to get to her destination. She didn't know long she had or when she'd get another chance to search for Rebekah and wanted to make the most out of every minute of it.

Ten minutes later she pulled to the side of the road next to a trail that led into the woods. She opened her glove box and pulled out the small flashlight she kept inside. After she double-checked that it still worked, she grabbed her phone and climbed out of her car. She turned the flashlight on and began following the trail into the woods towards the old Lockwood property. She decided begin her search where Klaus had taken his own body while he was possessing Tyler's. She reasoned that if he was comfortable enough to bring his own body there for safe keeping, he'd do the same with Rebekah's. If she was wrong, she'd search the existing tunnels next. After that, if she still couldn't locate Rebekah's body, she would find a way to get in touch with Elijah and get his help.

A burst of adrenaline rushed through Cassandra when she reached the remains of the old property. When she stepped forward, her phone began to vibrate in her hand. She looked at the screen and saw Klaus's name flashing back at her. She let the call go to voicemail and took off running towards the cellar doors and pulled them open. Now that she knew he was up and looking for her it was only a matter of time before he tracked her down so she had to search as fast as she could. She pointed the flashlight onto the steps as she hurried down into the depths of the estate. She slowly cast the light around and was disappointed to find nothing but a few old crates in one corner. She pressed on toward the small opening that had been created in an old brick panel which the led to the underground tunnels and carefully stepped inside. She silently prayed she wouldn't get lost as she ventured deeper into the winding maze, using her flashlight as a guide.

Minutes passed slowly, each passing one deflating her optimism bit by bit. She was so certain she'd find Rebekah somewhere down here. Then her flashlight hit something shiny and metallic. Another burst of adrenaline rushed through her as she traced the outline of the metallic object with the beam from her flashlight. She found the coffin at last! Her heart started to beat faster as she approached it and ran her hand along the top of it. Taking a deep breath she pushed the lid up and aimed the light inside.

Rebekah looked almost peaceful laying there, though the silver dagger protruding from her chest said otherwise. Cassandra's morbid curiosity had her wondering what Rebekah was experiencing as she lay there desiccated, but she shook the thoughts aside as she reached down and wrapped her hand around the hilt of the dagger. She was about to pull it out when a hand suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist, stopping her from removing it. She yelped in surprise, turning her head and shining her flashlight onto the figure the hand belonged to.

"Oh! Geeze, Klaus. You scared me!" Her heart pounded against her chest.

"Don't," Klaus uttered in a low voice, keeping his hand securely clenched around her wrist. "Sorry, sweetheart. I cannot allow you to remove that dagger."

Cassandra ignored him and tried to pull up on the handle, but her hand wouldn't budge against his iron grip. With an exasperated huff, she met his eyes.

"Why not?" She glared at him.

"Rebekah needs to stay dead a while longer," he answered simply.

"Right, right, because the second she's awake she'll spill the beans on whatever secret you've been keeping since you found out about the hunter, the same hunter that is now dead and buried thanks to Elena."

"There are more of them out there."

She stared at him blankly. "More what? More hunters?"

"Yes. I will explain further, but first I need you to let go of the dagger," Klaus's eyes flashed down to her hand. Reluctantly she relaxed her grip on handle and allowed him to pull her hand away from it. "Thank you."

"Just get on with explaining what the deal is with the hunter..or hunters," Cassandra grumbled.

"Somebody's impatient," he chuckled lightly. "All right, yes. The hunters are a group of five hunters that date all the way back to a century after my siblings and I had been turned into vampires. They are called The Five. Each of them bares a tattoo that grows whenever they kill a vampire. The completed tattoo is a map to a treasure. The treasure is what I am after, and no, I won't tell you what it is. I can't have you running off to tell your sister, and we both know you will."

"So you want to complete the map. That's why you wanted the hunter alive. Guess that didn't pan out so well."

"No, it did not. Luckily, there are more. Whenever a hunter dies, a new one is...activated, for lack of a better word. Our lucky, newest member of The Five is none other than Jeremy Gilbert."

"Oh my god," Cassandra's eyes widened. "So now he has to kill a bunch of vampires to make the tattoo finish growing into the map to this treasure?"

"Yes," Klaus nodded. "Does that satisfy your curiosity?"

She knew she wouldn't get any more out of him and slowly nodded her head. "Even though I still have questions, it's more than I knew before, so it'll have to suffice."

"I'm happy to hear it," he flashed her a brief smile. Using his other hand, he slowly closed the lid to the coffin housing his sister and began to guide Cassandra back towards the cellar..

"Can I have my hand back now?" She glanced down at his hand still wrapped around her wrist.

"Once we are far enough away from my sister," he replied softly.

"You think I'll try to free her again," Cassandra frowned.

A small smile tugged at Klaus's lips as they walked through the opening and back up the steps. "I don't think, love. I _know_. Can you honestly tell me you wouldn't?"

She opened her mouth to argue, then promptly shut it again. She couldn't, and the fact that he knew her that well now was indescribably frustrating. She shook her head, knowing her inability to answer spoke volumes.

"I didn't think so," he turned his head towards her, an amused sparkle in his eyes.

Once they were back outside he released her wrist and moved his hand to her back as they walked along the path back to her car.

"Should I be worried you'll attempt this again?" Klaus murmured in her ear.

"No," Cassandra knew she had to leave Rebekah alone for the time being. She didn't want to give him anymore cause to have the coffin moved now that she had located it. Beside that, he'd finally opened up a little about what he'd been keeping from her. Even though he was still keeping a few pertinent details to himself, the things he did reveal had to count for something. She also wasn't willing to risk what he would do if he caught her again. "I'll leave her alone. I promise."

He leaned in and pressed his lips against her temple. "Thank you, love."

-o-

After eating breakfast with Klaus, Cassandra headed over to the Lockwood Mansion to help with setting up for the Miss Mystic Falls Pageant that would be taking place the following day. She wasn't thrilled about facing Caroline after the way they'd left things from the day before, but she had already committed to helping with set up for the big event. When she arrived, there were already dozens of people bustling around setting up tables and chairs, while another group worked on the stage area. She jumped in to lend a hand while she scanned around looking for her sister.

When she finally spotted Caroline standing next to one of the tables, Cassandra took a deep breath and made her way over to her. Caroline smiled when she saw Cassandra approaching, but she couldn't say anything because she was in the middle of a phone call.

"All the more reason you need to cure her," Cassandra heard Caroline say to whoever she was speaking to on the phone.

Cassandra eyed her curiously as she waited for her to end the call. A moment later the two were joined by Elena. Caroline flashed Elena a smile and quickly ended her phone call.

"So…who's curing who now?" Cassandra asked before Caroline started to say anything.

"There's a cure for vampirism. Stefan wants to find it and give it to me to make me human again," Elena beat Caroline to the answer. Cassandra stared at the two of them as she processed this new piece of information and applied it to everything else Klaus had revealed to her earlier that morning.

"Oh my god. That's what he's after. Now it all makes sense," Cassandra noticed the confused faces of her sister and Elena and quickly went on to explain what she was talking about. "Klaus told me about the hunter's mark and how it becomes a map once it's complete. He wouldn't tell me what the map ultimately leads to, but now I know."

"But why would…no, you know what? It doesn't matter right now," Caroline shook the question she'd been about to ask out of her mind. "There's too much to do to get ready for tomorrow. Cass, can you go help get the flowers out for the table centerpieces? I need to speak to Elena for a second."

"Sure," Cassandra nodded. She started to talk away, then stopped and turned back toward Caroline. "Hey..about last night,"

"Don't worry about it," Caroline waved her hand. "I decided the best thing I can do is pretend I never heard what you said."

"Really?" Cassandra was surprised, but relieved none the less. "Okay, then."

With one final smile at her sister she headed over to the floral truck and started carrying the various crates of flowers over to a table that had been temporarily set up for the floral arrangements to be assembled on. A group of Caroline's classmates were waiting by the table, having been tasked by Caroline to help with the centerpieces. Cassandra showed them how Caroline wanted the flowers to look, and they went to work making enough flower arrangements for each table on the lawn.

A couple of hours later, Cassandra was placing some of the finished arrangements on the set up tables when Caroline stopped beside her, holding a clipboard in her hands. She gazed at the flowers and turned to Cassandra with a grin.

"You are a godsend, Cass," Caroline gave her a small hug. "These look perfect, and you, unlike some others, actually know where to put them."

"Don't be too hard on those girls," Cassandra's eyes flickered on to a group of three girls carrying flowers towards the back of the grounds. "They're doing their best."

"Yeah, well their best sucks," Caroline said a little too loudly in Cassandra's opinion.

"Caroline!" Cassandra hissed.

Caroline ignored her. "Can you go check on the stage and make sure it looks the way I want it to?"

"You got it, boss," Cassandra nodded with a smile. She made her way over to the grand staircase that led up to the Lockwood Mansion which would be serving as the stage for the pageant. Some people were hard at work hanging up linen backdrops at the top of the stairs. She spent a few minutes assessing and pointing out any areas that didn't look right before turning her attention to the giant floral pots at the base of the staircase. She was in the middle of rotating them when a familiar velvety voice made her stop and turn with a smile.

"Now, how did I know I'd find your sister at the helm of this ship, with you as her trusted right-hand?" Klaus smiled at her as he approached, his hands clasped behind his back.

"No one knows her tastes and expectations better than me," Cassandra stepped towards him. "Not that I'm not happy to see you, but, what are you doing here?"

"I was wondering what time we'll need to be here tomorrow," he answered.

"We?" She eyed him curiously.

"Surely, as a member of one of the founding families you won't be attending the party alone."

"Well, yeah, Mrs. Lockwood would prefer that I have an escort, but my sister is so stressed out over the event and making sure that it's perfect that I'm not sure her seeing us together is the best idea."

"I'm not about to let anyone else accompany you in my place. Come on, love. It'll be fun. Besides, I'm quite certain your sister will be distracted by Tyler and his lady werewolf friend. I have it on good authority they'll be attending together."

This was news to Cassandra, but she knew Tyler and Hayley had to do what was necessary to keep their ruse going. Reluctantly, she agreed. "All right. Since you insist on being my date, Caroline needs me here early to help with showing the girls where to go to get ready and to welcome guests, so meet me here at two p.m. Black tie optional."

"It's a date," Klaus was pleased at the he left her to get back to what she was doing, she silently prayed their attending the pageant together wouldn't blow up in their faces.

-o-

Cassandra stood in front of the full length mirror in her suite, giving her appearance a final once-over. She'd chosen to wear a royal navy blue sleeveless dress with an illusion bateau neckline. The top layer of the dress was a see-through all over lace with a navy blue floral sequin pattern masking it. The second layer was a solid, royal navy blue strapless liner that fell to the middle of her thighs, while the top layer rested right at her knees. She loved it because the see-through lace was hidden against the flesh of her skin, making the strapless lining pop out to the eyes. It really showed off her curves and was just revealing enough to drive Klaus crazy. She couldn't wait for him to see it. She'd chosen to wear simple silver strappy heels, and pulled her hair back in a low, loose bun.

When she arrived at the Lockwood Mansion she found Caroline and Elena upstairs in one of the rooms designated for the girls that were competing in the pageant to get ready in, helping April Young decide which dress to wear.

"Oh, Cass, perfect timing!" Caroline motioned for Cassandra to come in and join in the dress debate. "Which dress do _you_ think April should wear? Elena and I both say blue."

Cassandra turned to look at the two dresses that April was holding up. "Oh wow. Uh…actually I kinda really like the red. Yeah, it's bold, but I think it'll stand out to the judges in a good way."

"Cass, you're supposed to be on our side here," Caroline groaned. "The blue is the better choice when it comes to the judges."

"Really? The blue seems a little safe?" April looked down at the garmet.

"Safe is good when it comes to the judges," Elena tried to reassure her.

"She's right. Gracie Lockwood had a three-foot slit her year and practically got laughed off the court," Caroline glanced over at Elena. The two shared a laugh as they remembered the incident.

"She got my vote," Damon chose that moment to walk into the room, causing all four girls to stare at him in surprise.

"Get out, lurker!" Caroline through something at him, hitting him in the chest.

"Ouch," he muttered sarcastically. Caroline walked over to shoo him away. "Where's Professor Shane?"

"Check the judges' table," Caroline told him before promptly shutting the door in his face. He stopped it with his hand just before it clicked shut and pushed it back open.

"Red one, definitely," he glanced over at April.

Caroline had been walking across the room and turned back to face Damon, her arms folded across her chest. "We've already agreed that the red one's a little bit too showy."

"Uh, I picked the red one," Cassandra raised her hand.

"See. Cassandra gets it," Damon smiled at her. "It's a pageant. That's the whole point."

"Did you win Miss Mystic last year?" Caroline placed her hands on her hips. "No, I don't think you did."

"Neither did Elena, and she wore blue," Damon argued back.

"Nobody cares what you think," Caroline scoffed.

"I care," April raised her hands slightly.

"See? April cares. Red, right Elena," Damon looked across the room at Elena. Cassandra watched as Elena looked from Damon to April.

"The red is pretty," Elena finally spoke, causing Caroline's face to fall in in surprise.

"And my work here is done," Damon smirked before walking out of the room.

Caroline stared at Elena. "Uh, what happened to thirty seconds ago when you hated the red one? What happened to safe is good?"

"Ease up, Care. She's allowed to change her opinion," Cassandra tried to reason with her sister.

Elena turned to look at April. "Whichever one you want to wear, April."

Caroline stared in disbelief as Elena walked out of the room. "What just happened? And don't tell me she's allowed to change her mind. People don't change opinions in a split second like that."

"I don't know what to tell you, Care," Cassandra shrugged. "Come on, let's let April get dressed."

The two sisters headed back outside. Caroline didn't waste any time putting Cassandra to work, having her make sure everything was in place at the judges table. After that Cassandra wandered around, glancing at all of the tables on the lawn. Everything looked great in her opinion, but she knew great wasn't always good enough for her sister.

Before long, guests started arriving. Cassandra did the whole meet and greet role, smiling as she welcomed people and pointed them in the direction of tables and refreshments. She had to hand it to Caroline for doing such a great job in planning the party, no matter how crazy she may have become in the process.

When a hush fell over the crowd, Cassandra turned toward the large staircase where Carol Lockwood stood behind a microphone.

"Welcome to this season's Miss Mystic Falls," Carol addressed everyone. The crowd clapped as she continued on. "We are so excited to showcase our most outstanding community leaders in the making."

Cassandra smiled as she made her way around the lawn. She spotted Caroline a few feet away and walked over to her. As she grew nearer, she could hear Caroline snapping at one of the bus boys as she slammed some empty champagne glasses onto his tray. She watched the bus boy walk off, then turned to Caroline, but before she could speak Caroline walked past her and made a beeline for the orchestra.

"Caroline!" Cassandra hurried after her.

"Will you guys pick up the tempo?" She hissed as she snapped her fingers at them. "This is a pageant, not a funeral."

"Woah, chill Care. Everything is going really well. You did a fantastic job putting this together," Cassandra tried to reassure her sister.

"And how am I doing?" Klaus walked up to them and stood beside Cassandra, dressed up in a navy blue suit with a pale grey-blue button up shirt and silver-grey tie. Caroline stormed off in a huff, clearly not happy to see him there.

"You're…perfect," Cassandra sighed with a smile. "So much so that it's almost annoying."

Klaus chuckled softly as his eyes trailed up and down her figure. "You look exquisite, love."

"Heh, you like it?" She did a quick three sixty turn for him.

"Absolutely," he reached for her hand and pulled her to him. As he snaked his other arm around her waist, the movement of two people walking up the lawn a short ways behind her caught his eyes. "They didn't waste any time, did they?"

Cassandra whipped her head around to see Hayley and Tyler walking hand in. She instantly felt badly for her sister. Even though it was all an act, she knew it wasn't going to be easy for Caroline to witness.

"I suddenly have a really bad feeling about this," Cassandra sighed softly as she turned back around to face Klaus. "Caroline is already high strung enough today as it is. Seeing them together is only going to exasperate her even more."

"Then we will keep our distance. No need to add any more fuel to the fire, not today anyway.," Klaus murmured. He kissed her lightly on the lips and offered up his arm.

"Sounds like a plan," She looped her arm through his. Together they made their way closer to the staircase to watch the announcement of the Miss Mystic Court Procession. When she noticed April was wearing the red dress, she beamed from ear to ear.

The procession went smoothly until April's turn came. Caroline announced Jeremy Gilbert as April's escort while she descended down the steps, but he was nowhere to be seen. Cassandra was about to mutter something to Klaus when Matt broke out of the crowd and walked up to April. Cassandra clapped along with everyone else as he escorted her to the dance floor where the other girls and their escorts were waiting to begin the traditional dance. Cassandra's eyes lingered on the dancing couples until Caroline's movement down the stairs drew her attention away.

"I'll be right back," she whispered to Klaus, who nodded, and made her way over to Caroline and Elena.

"He's not picking up," Elena sighed as she lowered her phone from her ear.

"Do the math. Emo teen. Open bar. It's fine," Damon was clearly not worried about the younger Gilbert at all.

Elena turned toward Caroline and Cassandra, worry present in her eyes. "Matt said that Jeremy's been having nightmares about killing vampires and he's been hiding it from me?"

"What?" Cassandra gasped softly in surprise. "That is not a good sign."

"Relax. I'm sure he's fine," Damon was a little to chill over the situation in Cassandra's opinion.

"I don't know. I have a bad feeling," Elena shook her head.

"If I'm not worried, you shouldn't be worried. Let it go. I'll look for him," Damon told Elena.

"Ok," She whispered, watching as he walked away.

Caroline immediately jumped to action, dishing out orders in a hushed voice. "Okay, you go home. Cass and I will start asking around here."

"Maybe Damon's right," Elena started backpedaling. "Maybe he grabbed a bottle from the bar and snuck off to the woods."

"No. Damon's never right. Damon is sneaky and manipulative and rude, but he's never right. How can you not see that?" Caroline stared at Elena, completely blown away by her sudden one-eighty response to Jeremy's absence.

"I don't know, but why do I think you won't hesitate to tell me?" Elena made no attempt to hide the annoyance in her voice.

"Fine," Caroline snapped sharply. "Friend-tervention. I think your so-called feelings for Damon are really starting to cloud your judgment, and I don't like it, and the thought of you two together really makes me want to barf."

"Woah, ease up, Care," Cassandra tried to reign her sister back in. She knew all too well what it felt like to be on the receiving end of Caroline's disapproval when it came to relationships and didn't want that for Elena. "If Elena has feelings for Damon and wants to be with him, then she should be with him."

"Thanks, Cass," Elena flashed her a small smile. As much as Cassandra was trying to help, she ended up only aggravating her sister more.

"You stay out of this, Cass," Caroline pointed a finger at her. "You aren't helping."

"Neither are you. You need to stop trying to control everyone when they aren't conforming to your preferences. First it was me. Now it's Elena." Cassandra spat as she shook her head. "When will it stop, Caroline?"

"Easy, love. You're making a scene," Klaus walked up to Cassandra and whispered in her ear as he pressed a hand against her back.

"Thanks for trying, Cass," Elena nodded at her before turning to Caroline. "And Caroline, thank you for making this very difficult time so much easier."

Cassandra watched as Elena walked off. When she glanced back at her sister, Caroline glared at her before stomping off in the opposite direction, leaving Cassandra alone with Klaus.

"Wow," Cassandra shook her head in disbelief. "She's mad at me for a change. That's different."

"Come on, love. Let's go and get you a drink," Klaus started to guide her over to where the bar had been set up. She waited while Klaus grabbed an unopened bottle of champagne and two glasses, then together they walked along the edge of the huge pond that made up the back part of the grounds.

"It's so strange. One minute Elena and Caroline are on the same page, and then Damon walks into the room and suddenly she's siding with him, which I don't mind, but I know her, and it's definitely not like her," Cassandra wrinkled her forehead.

"So being a vampire has changed her." Klaus was amused by this new revelation.

"But being a vampire only amplifies who you already are…case and point being my control freak sister," Cassandra had to fight back a laugh. "It doesn't turn you into a completely different person."

"It's very peculiar," Klaus grinned from ear to ear. It quickly became clear to Cassandra that he knew something.

"What's that look for?" she eyed him curiously.

"It'll all make sense eventually," He continued to smirk, but wouldn't reveal what he was thinking.

"Jerk," she shook her head with a laugh as they approached a stone bench. She eyed him as she sat down. "Well, the sooner you find the cure, the sooner Elena is back to normal so all of this weird drama between her and my sister will go away."

Klaus's smile faltered at her mention of the cure. He blinked in surprise as she smirked at him.

"Oh...did I not mention I found out about that?" She snickered in delight.

"You are a lot more resourceful than I give you credit for," Klaus shook his head as he sat down beside her.

"Oddly enough, I didn't go looking for that bit of information. It all but fell in my lap when I got here earlier."

"Well, I'm working on it, love."

She watched as he carefully set the glasses down and began to tear the foil off of the champagne bottle. "Would you ever take it?"

"Now, why would I want to cure myself of being the most powerful creature on the planet, hmm?" Klaus raised his eyebrows smugly.

"Right, of course," Cassandra rolled her eyes. "How silly of me to even think of such a preposterous notion. Seriously, though. There's not one single moment in your whole life that you wanted to be human?"

He flashed her a what-do-you-think expression before opening the champagne with a loud pop. He filled a glass and handed it to her. She slowly brought it up to her lips and took a small sip while he filled his own glass, noting his avoidance of answering her question.

"Life used to be a lot easier. Don't you miss the days of being…" He paused and stood up, grinning as he faced her and pulled a folded up piece of paper from his inside jacket pocket and opened it up to read from it. "'Editor-In-Chief of the Timberwolves Tribune' and the 'Director of the Fireman's Annual Charity Decathlon."

Cassandra's eyes widened in horror. "Oh my god. Is that my Miss Mystic application? Where on God's green earth did you get that?!" Klaus started to continue reading from the sheet of paper, but he didn't get very far because Cassandra was on her feet a second later in attempt to snatch the paper out of his hand. He held it out of her reach and continued to read it.

"'When I am chosen I intend to redefine excellence.' Now, I'm really enjoying your use of 'when' here. It's very confident."

"Mm hmm," she tightened her jaw as she shook her head, wishing he'd hurry up and be done tormenting her so they couldn't go back to enjoying their glasses of champagne.

"'And above all, I promise to aspire, inspire, and perspire…' Obviously, we found a shortage of words ending in 'spire'," Klaus couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Yeah, it's very funny. Hilarious even. Caroline insisted on making some last minute tweaks to my application," Cassandra tried to grab the paper out of his hands, but he held it out of reach. He grinned wickedly, daring her with his eyes to try again. She knew it was a hopeless situation and burst out laughing at the silliness of it all. Klaus began to laugh with her as they sat back down on the bench and continued to sip their champagne.

A little while later she watched as April Young was crowned Miss Mystic Falls. She was happy for April after everything that had happened with her father. She deserved something good in her life.

After they'd finished their champagne, Klaus stood up and held out his hand to Cassandra. She slipped her hand into his with a smile and allowed him to pull her up to her feet. He hooked her arm around his as they started to walk. She rested her other hand against his upper arm as they crossed the bridge over the pond to head back to where the party was.

"You know, I never answered your question, if I'd ever thought about being human," Klaus stopped walking and turned toward her. "Once. I was on a trek in the Andes, and a hummingbird flew up to me and just hovered there, staring at me. Its tiny heart was pattering like a machine gun, and I thought 'What a thing, you know, to have to work that hard every day just to stay alive, to be constantly on the verge of death, and how satisfying every day must be that it survived.' And that was the only time I thought about being human."

"That is…incredibly beautiful and poetic," Cassandra smiled at him. "Thank you for telling me."

"Not as beautiful as you, love," Klaus brought her hand up to his lips and brushed them lightly against the back of her knuckles. "And, you're welcome."

By the time Cassandra and Klaus returned to his mansion after the pageant, night had fallen. As they reached the grand staircases in the main hall, Cassandra came to a sudden stop and stared in awe. The stairs were illuminated by little tea light candles on the edges of each step, with a sprinkling of rose petals leading upstairs. She turned to Klaus, her eyes wide with delight.

"Did you do this?" She asked him.

"Well, I may have had help with the execution, but the idea was all mine," he smiled at her. "Shall we head upstairs?"

She nodded eagerly and allowed him to take her by the hand and lead her as they headed up the steps. The trail of candles and petals led down the long hallway to Klaus's master suite. He slowly opened the door and let her enter ahead of him. As she panned around the room, her eyes landed on a small table where a bottle of wine had been opened and placed beside two wine glasses and a tray full of different cheeses and fruits. There was a crackling fire in the fireplace, and candles strategically placed all around the huge room.

"This is amazing," she breathed as she faced him. "No one's ever done anything like this for me before. Ever."

"I wanted tonight to be unforgettable," Klaus smiled at her. "Now, would you care for some wine?"

"I would love some," she nodded enthusiastically and followed him over to the other side of the room. He picked up the bottle and poured the wine into both glasses. He handed a glass to her and clicked his against it.

"Cheers," he smiled as he brought the glass up to his lips.

Cassandra smiled as she took a sip and savored the delicious flavor. She quickly took another sip, then reached for a small piece of cheese and popped it into her mouth. With the wine glass in her hand she casually made her way over to the French doors that led to the balcony and pushed them open. The cool night air greeted her as she walked outside. She had barely walked up to the railing when she felt a presence beside her. Her lips curled into a smile as she continued looking out at the view, sipping her wine every now and then.

"Balconies, are they our thing now?" Klaus chuckled lightly.

"Huh, I guess they are," she smiled as she cast a glance in his direction. She noticed he had take off his suit jacket and tie, and had unbuttoned the top two buttons of his shirt. The way he stood looking out at the view in the dim light took her breath away. She realized she was staring and quickly looked away before he caught on. She did not want to have to explain her lingering gaze. He'd never let her live it down.

After a little while, Cassandra wandered back inside and went over to where the platter of cheese and fruit was. She popped a piece of cheese into her mouth and began to reach for another when Klaus came up and wrapped an arm around her from behind. She smiled as she reached for a strawberry and bit into it. She could feel Klaus's warm breath against her neck as he lowered his lips onto her skin and began to gently leave kiss after kiss. Just as she was starting to close her eyes, he stopped. She tilted her head, intending to say something, and watched as he set his glass down on the table next to the platter. He took the glass out of her hand and set it down next to his before turning her around to face him. She gazed into his eyes as he brought his hand up to caress the side of her face and leaned in, bringing his lips to hers.

The kiss was deep, fueled by an incredible passion that nearly left her weak in the knees. She wrapped her arms around his neck as she leaned into him, prompting him to bring his arms around her frame. As they kissed, he began to slowly move towards the bed until they were standing beside it. His hands lingered against the small of her back for a few moments before migrating upwards to her shoulders. Her heart fluttered inside her chest as he began to unzip her dress. She lowered her arms from around his neck and allowed him to slide the dress down, letting it float to the floor.

Cassandra pulled away from him and quickly undid the rest of the buttons on his shirt. Once she had peeled it off of him, she dropped it on the floor next to her dress and ran her hands up his bare chest as she brought her lips back to his. His hands moved to her waist, reveling in the feel of her soft skin. They were warm against her flesh and sent shockwaves through her whole body.

He gently guided her down onto the bed, hovering over her as his lips broke away from her mouth and left a trail of kisses down her jaw to her collar bone. She couldn't stop the gasps from leaving her lips as he grazed her skin with his teeth while his hands continued moving along her waist.

She slipped her arms around his torso and dug her fingers into his back, dragging them up slowly. She left feathery kisses on his shoulders in between gasps. Catching a glimpse of his tattoo, she moved her lips to his ear. She grazed his earlobe lightly, tickling him with her breath, resulting in a low hiss from him which made her grin in satisfaction.

"I have a tattoo of my own," she spoke in a breathy whisper. "See if you can find it."

"Mmm, challenge accepted, love," Klaus hummed against her skin.

He slipped his hands under her back and unhooked the clasp of her strapless bra with ease. Cassandra couldn't keep her heart from speeding up or the butterflies from swarming in her stomach as he slowly pulled the garment away from her body and discarded it onto floor. She leaned back to look at his face as he took a beat to simply gaze at her before his hands began to roam all over her upper body, gently caressing her. When he brought his mouth into the mix, her eyes rolled into the back of her head as new sensations rippled through her.

Growing impatient, she reached down and began to unbuckle his belt. Just as she gotten it unhooked, her breath hitched in her throat as Klaus ran his fingertips along the edge of her cotton underwear and began to pull them down her hips. She watched his face as his eyes landed on a one inch bird tattoo on her left hip.

"A swallow?" He eyed her curiously as he ran his thumb over it.

"Yeah. I liked how it looked and what it symbolizes," she swallowed slowly. His light touch made it difficult to concentrate and stay still.

"When did you get it?"

"While I was in New York with my friends. We all got tattoos together. I chose to get it on my hip because I can conceal it that way."

"I like it. It suits you," he smiled at her. He lowered his head and pressed his lips against the tattooed skin. With one swift movement he slid her last remaining article of clothing down her legs and dropped it over the side of the bed.

She bit the corner of her lip as Klaus gazed down at her completely naked body. She was completely exposed and vulnerable. There was no turning back now, not that it was even a blip on her radar. No, she wanted this more than anything. Wanted him.

"Klaus," Cassandra whimpered, the want and desire evident in her voice.

He didn't need to be asked a second time and quickly removed the rest of his clothing. He ran his hands up the sides of her legs as he hovered over her, kissing her everywhere as he made his way back to her mouth, kissing her deeply as he pressed his warm body against hers.


	22. Crimson Snowflakes

**Chapter 22 – Crimson Snowflakes**

Cassandra exhaled slowly as she began to stir from her slumber the following morning. She remained still in her curled up position, one arm tucked against her body, the other hooked around her pillow as her mind started to accept that her time asleep was over. When her eyes finally fluttered open, she found Klaus's blue-green eyes gazing back at her while his hand gently moved in small, swirling motions along her bare back, as the sheets only covered her from the waist down.

"Mmm. Have you been watching me sleep?" She murmured, blinking the blurriness in her eyes away.

"Just a little," he murmured back, smiling at her. "Last night was…"

"Perfect," she finished with a smile.

"Well, I was going to say wonderfully marvelous, but perfect works too," he chuckled lightly as he continued stroking her back.

"You're going to put me back to sleep the longer you keep doing that," she fought to keep her eyes from closing.

"Is that so? Well, we can't have that now, can we?" Klaus leaned over and brushed his lips lightly against her bare shoulder. "I know just the thing to help you wake up more. Do not move."

He was gone in the blink of an eye. Cassandra stared at the door to the bedroom, waiting to see if he'd return just as quickly as he had left. When he didn't after a good twenty seconds had passed, she pulled the sheet away from her body and climbed out of the huge bed, figuring she could quickly use the bathroom and return to the bed before he came back. She quickly ran across the room and yanked the door open, then shut it behind her as quietly as she could.

She stood in front of the sink a couple of minutes later, staring at the reflection of her naked body in the mirror while she washed her hands. After drying them off she began to run her fingers through her blonde hair in an attempt to smooth it out some. She had her hair hanging down over her right shoulder when a purplish red patch on the left side of her neck caught her eye. She leaned in to get a closer look at it.

"Oh my god," she gasped, her eyes widening as she realized exactly what the mark on her neck was. She clasped her left hand over the mark and left the bathroom in a haste. Before she returned to the bed she went over to the chair she'd left her purse on the night before and reached in with her other hand for her phone. Clutching it in her hand she hurried back to the bed As she reached the edge of it, Klaus's voice made her spin around in surprise.

"I thought I told you not to move from the bed," he stared at her, matter-of-factly.

"I was only in the bathroom," she answered. She slowly lowered the hand that was covering her neck and tilted her head so he could see his handiwork.. "I can't believe you gave me a hickey!"

"Well would you look at that," he smirked. "I'd say I was sorry, but then I'd be lying."

Cassandra shook her head as she sat down on the bed and wrapped the sheet around her body. "Of course you're not sorry."

"Oh, come on love, you can't really be all that surprised."

"Surprised? No. Annoyed? Big time. Do you have any idea what people would say if they saw this obnoxious thing on my neck? People like, oh I don't know, _my sister?!_ "

"If it really bothers you that much, I'll heal you. But first…" He paused and handed her one of the two steaming cappuccinos he had been holding in both hands. "For you. I believe you mentioned once that you are the kind of person that needs caffeine in the morning to feel more awake."

"I did say that. Thank you," she nodded, bringing the cup up to her lips to take a small sip. Klaus went over to the other side of the bed and set his cup down on the end table before climbing in. He brought his right arm up to his mouth and bit into his wrist before extending it over to her. She leaned down and placed her mouth over the puncture marks. Once she'd swallowed enough she let go of his arm and picked up her phone from her lap where she'd dropped it, using the black screen to check her reflection. She sighed in relief as the dreaded hickey slowly vanished from her neck. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he smiled at her.

As he reached for his cup, Cassandra tapped the screen of her phone bringing it to life, and found a new message from Caroline waiting for her from the night before. _Elena is sired to Damon! That's why she's been acting so strange and doing everything he tells her to!_ , it read. She quickly typed up a reply, _Oh wow. That's crazy!,_ and hit send. She placed her phone on the end table and picked up her cup. While she took a sip, she glanced over to see Klaus gazing at her curiously. "So, you knew Elena was sired to Damon."

"That's right. I wondered how long it would take all of you to figure it out," he nodded.

"How does that even work?" Cassandra wanted to know.

Klaus set his mug down and rolled onto his side so he was facing her. "It's incredibly rare. I've only come across it a small handful of times in my thousand years on this earth. You already know about how everything becomes heightened when you become a vampire. When a human has strong feelings for a vampire and that vampire uses their blood to turn them, the result is a sire bond. The new vampire will do, say, agree with whatever the sire says without even realizing it in the beginning, if it makes their sire happy. And, unlike Tyler who was able to break his sire bond to me, there is no way to 'break' the sire bond between two vampires. The sire would have to tell their sireling to let them go."

"So, theoretically, if you turned me, is there a good chance I'd wind up sired to you too? I'd say it's pretty obvious I have strong feelings for you and I'm human so…"

"Heh, yes it is. That's an intriguing theory. There's no way to know for sure without testing it, but I must admit, I think the chances are quite high."

"Good to know," Cassandra nodded, though she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

"The idea of you being sired to me," Klaus mused aloud. "I think…"

"Don't you dare!" She poked him square in the chest. "You keep that thought to yourself. You know where I stand when it comes to free will."

"As you wish," he chuckled with a smile. He reached for her hand and laced their fingers together. "So, I don't know what you were wanting to do today, but I see no reason to leave this room, or this bed for that matter, at all."

"Is that so?" She raised her eyebrows slightly as she stared at him. She set her cup back down on the end table and crawled over to Klaus, moving on top of him so she was straddling him. She slowly ran her free hand up his chest, thoroughly enjoying the enamored expression on his face. "Sounds good to me."

-o-

Cassandra awoke the next morning and found herself alone in bed. Frowning, she slowly sat up and swung her legs over the side of the bed. As she started to plant her feet on the floor, her eyes landed on Klaus's button-up shirt from the night of the pageant in a heap. She grabbed it and slipped her arms into the sleeves as she stood up. Once she fastened all of the buttons, she made her way out into the hall. When she approached the doorway to the parlor, she could see him painting on an easel in the connected art room. Smiling, she made her way to the open French doors.

"You know, it's not very nice leaving a girl to wake up all alone," she folded her arms across her chest as she leaned against the doorway.

Klaus smiled as he glanced over at her. "My apologies, love. I'll make it up to you later. I promise."

She walked up behind him and wrapped her arms around his long sleeve shirt clad shoulders. "I'm going to hold you to that," she murmured, brushing her lips lightly against his neck. Resting her chin on his left shoulder, she eyed his current work of art. "What's with the painting?"

"It's my contribution for the charity event this afternoon," he answered as he moved his brush along a section of the canvas.

"Oh god. The Winter Wonderland Charity Event. That's today," Cassandra groaned. "I already promised my mom and my sister that I'd be there."

"And here I was hoping for a repeat of yesterday," he chuckled.

"Don't tempt me," she sighed. "I promised. I have to go."

"So then we'll go," he turned his head toward her.

She started to open her mouth to say something else when the sound of footsteps approaching the doorway drew her attention. She glanced over to see Stefan walking in, his hands in his pockets.

"Looks like a giant snowflake," Stefan eyed the painting.

"Oh. I didn't realize we'd have company," Cassandra murmured softly as the heat rose in her cheeks. "I'm just gonna go get dressed."

Klaus nodded, watching her as she started to leave. When she reached the doorway where Stefan was, she started to mumble a hello to him when one of Klaus's hybrids, Adrian, strolled up, causing her to flinch in surprise.

"Woah, sorry," Adrian side stepped out of the way to give her room leave.

She quickly walked past him and took off down the hall towards her room. She quickly threw on a t-shirt and jeans before moving to the bathroom to brush her hair. Once she was satisfied with her appearance she returned to the parlor. As she approached the couch where Klaus was seated with his feet propped up on the coffee table and his arms stretched out on the back of the couch, while Stefan stood across from him handling an old sword. She stopped when she reached Klaus's outstretched legs and eyed him, waiting for him to move them out of the way so she could pass by unobstructed and take a seat beside him. He remained still, a smile on his lips. Cassandra rolled her eyes with a soft sigh and carefully started to step over him. The second she had one leg successfully placed on the other side of him, he lurched forward and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her onto his lap.

"Aaah!" She squeaked in surprise. She tried to move, but his arms wouldn't budge. Resigned to being stuck until he was willing to release her, she relaxed her body and draped an arm around his neck as she leaned into him.

"I heard you moved out of your house," Klaus caught Stefan's eyes. "Bit of a martyr move, hmm?"

"I'm not here to bond, Klaus," Stefan placed the sword on the coffee table.

"Oh, on the contrary, I think right now I'm the best friend you've got," A smirk tugged at the corners of Klaus's lips. Cassandra rolled her eyes. She wanted to be anywhere but in that room at that very moment.

* * *

"You're going to do what?!" Caroline hissed quietly to Tyler as they stood in the middle of the town square later that afternoon. The Winter Wonderland charity event was in full force, and dozens of people stood around mingling and drinking champagne while kids ran around and played in the fake snow. There were ten foot tall candy canes scattered around the Square, and twinkle lights and garlands were strung for decoration.

"Hayley found a witch strong enough to do the body jump spell, you know, the Klaus specialty," Tyler calmly explained to his girlfriend.

"So you're going to put him in someone else's body, and then what?" Caroline failed to see this was a good plan.

"We'll encase the body in concrete, then bury it," Tyler told her.

"Why not just desiccate him like Bonnie did?"

"Because to do that spell, you have to stop a human heart. I was a little short of volunteers."

"Well, who was dumb enough to volunteer their body to be a Klaus sublet?" Caroline went back to Tyler's original plan. Tyler sighed softly as he stared at her. Her eyes widened in horror as she realized _he_ was the one who'd volunteered.

"Okay, don't freak out," he tried to keep her calm.

"Freak out? _Freak out?_ I'm about to hemorrhage! You volunteered?!" She snapped at him.

Tyler tried to reassure her in a hushed voice. "It's not forever. Just long enough for the hybrids to be able to completely disappear."

"Well, I can think of better ways for us to spend our senior year than you _buried in concrete_ , Tyler!" Her nostrils flared as she glared at him. He calmly stepped forward and placed his hands on top of Caroline's shoulders.

"This started with me. It has to end with me," he said, softly. Caroline looked at the ground, unwilling to meet his eyes. "I need your support."

She knew he had a good point, but she had one of her own .

"What about my sister?" She slowly looked up at him. "You know how she handled losing Klaus the first time. She'll be even more devastated this time."

"She'll be fine. You can do what you've wanted to do since they first met. Compel her to forget," Tyler answered like it was the easiest question in the world.

"Absolutely not," Caroline stepped back from him, shaking her head. "She's finally starting to trust me again. I am _not_ about to do anything to jeopardize that."

"Well, then we'll find someone who will. Maybe Damon will do it. He compelled Jeremy for Elena. I'm sure he'd do it for you if you asked. Or Stefan. I'd do it if I could, but..." Tyler trailed off.

"Don't remind me," she scoffed.

"Hey," Tyler murmured as he reached out and cupped the side of her face. "It's going to be okay. We'll get through this. All of us. You'll see."

He gently kissed her forehead before heading off to meet up with the other hybrids and Hayley. Caroline folded her arms across her chest, shaking her head slightly as she watched his silhouette disappear into the crowd.

"I wouldn't be too sure about that," she muttered under her breath.

* * *

Cassandra stared at her reflection in the full length mirror in her suite. She ran her hands over the pale blue fabric of the dress she'd chosen to wear to the Winter Wonderland Charity. She paired it with a silver cardigan, and matching silver heels. She put big, wavy curls in her hair and pulled only part of it back.

"You look exquisite," Klaus's stood in the doorway, leaning against the frame. She spun around to face him and sucked in a breath. He'd chosen to wear a simple black suit with an off-white button up shirt.

"No tie?" She'd noticed he'd forgone one and left the top two buttons unbuttoned. It was an incredibly sexy look on him.

"No. Not tonight. It's casual enough to forego it," he smiled at her. "Is that all right with you?"

She walked up to him and ran her hands up the sides of his jacket until they reached his shoulders. "Mmm. More than all right. It's…I don't think you have any idea how sexy you look right now."

His hands found their way to her sides as his eyes moved up and down her body. "Are you sure we can't skip the festivities and stay home?" He groaned softly.

"I have to make an appearance. How about a compromise? We'll go for an hour. Then you can whisk me away with that vampire speed of yours and bring me back here. Sound good?" She brushed her thumbs against the collar of his shirt.

"One hour. Then you're all mine," he flashed her a devilish grin.

She grabbed her small bag from the top of the dresser, double checked that she'd tucked her phone inside, and followed Klaus downstairs. It didn't take them long to get to the town square. They headed over to the Mystic Grill to check out the auction and so Cassandra could see Klaus's painting on display.

"What do you think?" Klaus whispered in her ear as they stood, admiring the work of art.

"I like the snowflake, but there's something…lonely about it," Cassandra murmured.

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment," he smiled. "Now then, let's get you some champagne."

"Why? You trying to get me drunk so you can have your way with me?" she eyed him with a smile.

He leaned in to whisper in her ear. "I don't need to get you liquored up to do that."

While she waited for him to return with their drinks, Cassandra wandered around to look at the other items up for auction. She would have loved writing a piece for the local paper on the event and envied whoever had been assigned the task that day. She laughed to herself as she imagined walking around with a recorder in one hand, and a camera in the other.

Klaus returned a little while later with two champagne glasses in his hand. He handed her one and together they sipped and continued to walk around. He offered to place a winning bid on whatever item or items she wanted, but she turned him down. Even if all the proceeds were going to charity, she didn't think it was fair to have him place a bid so outrageous that no one would surpass it. It wasn't easy, but she convinced him to let it go.

She was grateful when Carol Lockwood began to chat him up because it allowed her to slip away to use the ladies room at the back of the restaurant. As she was coming back out a couple of minutes later, she spotted the back of a very familiar head of blonde hair heading towards the back storage area. Curious, Cassandra quickly made her way over just as the door leading to the back alley closed with a click. She approached the door and slowly opened it. She cautiously stepped out into the alley and looked around. Her eyes narrowed when she spotted her sister talking in a hushed voice to Stefan.

"Klaus is the only shot we have at finding the cure. We need him. Tyler has to call it off," she heard Stefan say as she walked up to them. His eyes flashed on to her. Tightening his jaw, he motioned in her direction with his head, causing Caroline to turn toward her in surprise.

"What…" Cassandra started to speak.

"Well, that's not gonna happen," Tyler appeared out of nowhere at the base of the stairs leading back up to the town and interrupted her. He looked past Stefan over at Caroline, and he was pissed. "You told them? I've had twelve hybrids sworn to secrecy for a month. I have Hayley and a witch risking their lives, and you're blabbing my plan to them?"

"Okay, someone want to tell me what the hell is going on?" Cassandra folded her arms across her chest. "What plan?"

Realizing she didn't know what he was up to, Tyler shot a hard look towards Caroline, warning her to keep quiet. Cassandra looked from him to her sister. "Caroline, you better tell me what you know or so help me god I will disown you as my sister."

"Oooh, fine. Sorry, Tyler. I love you, but I'm not losing my sister," Caroline huffed and quickly explained his plan to Cassandra. She looked over at Tyler with a mixture of pain and anger in her eyes.

"No," she growled. "I let you take him away from me once. I won't let it happen again."

"I'm sorry, Cass. Truly. I wish it didn't have to be like this, but I have to do what's best for me and my pack," Tyler flashed her an apologetic glance.

"Look, all I'm..we're asking you for is a little time, okay?" Stefan tried to bargain with Tyler.

Tyler glared at him and began shouting. "How long? An hour? A Day? Because every minute that goes by that we don't do this, they're at risk. You and Klaus already served one of them up for Jeremy to kill," Tyler's eyes flickered onto Cassandra. She looked down at the ground, ashamed of the part she had played in Chris's death. "I don't owe you anything. I'm taking him out.

As Tyler turned to walk back up the stairs, Stefan vampire-sped in front of him, stopping him in his tracks. "I'm sorry, but I can't let you do that."

Something behind Stefan caught Caroline's attention, prompting her to pull Cassandra close to her. Cassandra followed her sister's gaze and blinked as her lips parted slightly in surprise.

"Stefan," Caroline called out to him.

"I'm sorry, but I can't," Stefan stared back at her.

"Stefan!" Caroline tried again, more adamantly. This time he noticed she was looking over his shoulder. When he turned around he found half a dozen hybrids standing on the stairs. Cassandra turned her head and nearly jumped out of her skin when she found the other remaining hybrids blocking the only other way out of the alley.

"Sorry, man, but you don't have a choice," Tyler shook his head.

Against their will, Stefan, Caroline, and Cassandra were led to the old Lockwood Cellar by Tyler and the other hybrids. Cassandra clung to her sister's arm as they walked, shooting daggers at the back of Tyler's head with her eyes. Once they were inside, Tyler walked over to the far side of the cellar where some wooden crates were stacked with a pile of heavy iron chains resting on top.

"Tyler!" Caroline tried to reason with him as he picked up the chains.

"Keep them down here until we're ready to bring Klaus in," Tyler ignored her and addressed the other hybrids. He tossed the chains on the ground. "Use these if you have to."

"Come on, Tyler. This is bigger than you. It's about more than revenge for us," Stefan approached him.

Tyler took a step forward, significantly closing the gap between himself and Stefan. "I know what it's about for you, Stefan. It's about the cure. You know what happens to a hybrid when he's cured of being a vampire? We go back to being werewolves, turning on every full moon. We could give a rat's ass about the cure."

Tyler walked past Stefan, only to be stopped by Caroline.

"Tyler, come on," she pleaded in a high voice.

"I needed you on my side, Care," he stared at her. "That's all I wanted."

He shook his head disappointedly at her and continued to make his way around her to the stars, only to be stopped again, this time by Cassandra.

"Tyler, please don't do this," she stared at him with wide, sad eyes. "Don't take him away from me again. You saw what losing him did to me the first time. I can't go through that again. I won't."

"I'm sorry, Cass, but this is the way it has to be," he stepped around her. She turned, watching as he began to make his way up the old staircase.

"I will _never_ forgive you for this, Tyler Lockwood!" She yelled out after him. Angry tears stung the corners of her eyes as he headed up the steps and disappeared out of sight. She felt a hand on her shoulder and immediately shrugged it off with a low hiss. "Don't."

"Cass," Caroline's voice trembled.

Cassandra turned around to face her sister. "What, Caroline? I know the only reason you want Klaus alive and unharmed is because you need him to lead you to the cure so that it can be used on Elena so she won't be sired to Damon anymore. You could care less about how Tyler's stupid plan affects me."

"That's not true," Caroline frowned in protest. Cassandra didn't want to hear anything else and walked past her to stand by the iron-barred cell.

"Just let her be, Caroline," Stefan murmured when Caroline started to open her mouth again. With a sigh, she begrudgingly obliged and left Cassandra alone.

Time seemed to stop as they remained trapped in the cellar. Cassandra gripped her small clutch tightly in her hand. Her mind kept going to her cell phone concealed in the bag. She desperately wanted to pull it out and call Klaus to warn him, but she didn't dare attempt it. She wasn't going to risk the hybrids crushing her phone into pieces, or worse—crushing her instead.

"This is ridiculous. We are not hostages," Caroline's grumbling voice pulled Cassandra from her thoughts.

"Sure you are, sweetie," a female hybrid whose name Cassandra didn't know taunted sweetly with a smirk on her face. Caroline whooshed forward, initiating a stare down with the hybrid.

A cell phone started to ring. Stefan reached into his pocket where the ringing was coming from and pulled out his phone. In doing so, all of the hybrids in the cellar lurched toward him.

"Relax," he put a hand out to calm them all down. "It's my brother."

Cassandra exhaled softly, watching as Stefan brought his phone up to his ear and turned his back to everyone while he spoke to Damon. She was surprised when he turned back around no more than five seconds later as he ended the call.

"We don't need the sword," he announced.

Cassandra's stomach dropped. If Stefan and Caroline no longer needed the sword to find the cure, than they had no need for Klaus anymore, which meant they were on board with Tyler's plan.

"So what now?" Caroline asked him. "We let them use their witch to body jump Klaus into Tyler's body? Even if that works, Klaus will still come after all of us, no matter what body he's in."

"Which is why we need a body that's already immobilized," an idea formed in Stefan's mind. "Like another original currently laying daggered in a coffin."

"Rebekah," Caroline whispered, catching on.

Cassandra had been discretely trying to slip her hand into grab her phone when the mention of Rebekah's name caught her attention.

"No," she growled as she walked over to her sister and Stefan. "I'm not letting either of you do this to me. Not again."

"And just how do you plan to stop us, sweetie?" The same, dark haired female hybrid sneered at her. "Oh, that's right. You can't. You're just a weak, puny human."

"Cassandra I truly am sorry," Stefan eyed her apologetically. There was sincerity in his eyes that she didn't expect. "He has been a thorn in my side for so long. Now that there is a real chance to take him down in a way that doesn't kill all of us in the process, we have to take it."

He turned away from her to talk to the other hybrids, going over the plan Tyler had in place. "While you guys get the witch and gather in the woods to meet Klaus, Caroline can go fill Tyler in on the new plan while I retrieve the coffin containing Rebekah so it can be buried once we put Klaus in her body."

"What about her?" One of the hybrids nodded in Cassandra's direction. Stefan and Caroline shared a glance before Stefan spoke up. "The second we all leave she's going to call Klaus and warn him."

"I'll make sure she doesn't interfere with the plan," Stefan tried to reassure them.

"I have a better idea," the dark haired female hybrid whooshed and appeared behind Cassandra, instantly locking her arms around Cassandra's neck in a tight choke hold. Cassandra struggled against the hybrid's steel arms, her eyes fixed on Caroline and Stefan who watched helplessly as they were restrained by the other hybrids. She started to see white spots before the lightheadedness kicked in and she succumbed to darkness.

-o-

When she came to, Cassandra blinked and slowly sat up, unsure of where she was until she realized she was in her room back at the mansion. She grabbed her purse from where it had been placed beside her and reached inside. Relief flooded her as her fingers came into contact with her phone. She quickly pulled it out and turned it on. She stared in disbelief at the numbers on the clock. It was nearly eight o'clock. The charity event had long since ended, the sun come and gone. She had no idea if Tyler's plan to take down Klaus had been successful and said a silent prayer that she wasn't too late as she called him. He didn't answer, so she left him a message, warning her that his hybrids were planning to take him down and to call her back immediately. She grabbed her purse and scrambled to her feet, holding her phone to her ear as she called him again while she raced out of her room.

"Damn it, Klaus. Pick up your phone!" She hissed under her breath as she pulled the front door open. She called him a third time after she was in her car. When he still didn't answer, she slammed her phone onto the passenger seat as she pressed harder on the gas pedal.

She arrived at the town square in record time, but the absence of people made her heart sink. She quickly pulled into a parking spot along the curb and climbed out of her car. She began to jog through the square, hoping to find someone, anyone that she could speak to. As she approached the center of the square where the snow machines were, she finally spotted two figures by the enormous fountain thirty yards away. One was sitting on the stone edge, the other was standing. Relief rushed through her as she realized the person standing was Klaus. He was still alive and in his own body, though it didn't explain why he wasn't answering his phone. In that moment, Cassandra didn't care. She was simply glad to see him. She took another good look at the person sitting on the fountain edge and realized he was towering over Carol Lockwood.

She took off at a run and opened her mouth, intending to call out to them, when Klaus grabbed Carol by the back of her neck and slammed her face down under the water. Cassandra froze, clapping a hand over mouth as she watched the scene before her in horror. She couldn't look away from Carol's limp body hanging over the side of the fountain once Klaus let go of her. When he slowly turned around, he blinked in surprise at seeing Cassandra standing there.

"Cassandra," he whispered, carefully approaching her. Her eyes widened at the sight of all the blood stains on his shirt and face.

"You….you killed Carol Lockwood," she stammered, backing away from him as he moved closer. "I saw you do it. Why her? She's innocent."

"If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at Tyler Lockwood. _He_ got all the other hybrids to break their sire bond and turn against me. _He_ had them lead me into a death trap," he growled softly. "They paid with their lives. Carol was all Tyler had. Being alone will serve as a fair better punishment for him than death."

Cassandra stared at him, unable to speak. She couldn't believe what she was hearing, yet the evidence of blood all over him was undeniable. For the first time since they met, when she looked at him, all she saw was a terrifying monster.

He took another step towards her, and again she stepped backwards. "Don't," she snapped. "Everyone was right about you. You're nothing but a cold blooded, psychopathic killer."

She could tell by the expression on his face that her words had hurt him.

"You don't mean that," he didn't want to believe what was coming out of her mouth.

"Yeah, actually, I do," she glared at him.

"Cassandra, please," he stepped forward again as he tried to reason with her.

She raised her hands as she backed up, shaking her head from side to side. "No. You stay away from me. _Stay the hell away from me!_ "

Turning on her heels, she took off running toward her car and didn't stop until she reached the door. She yanked it open and climbed inside, shutting and locking the doors as quickly as she could. She could see him in her rear view mirror, standing where she'd left him, as she drove off down the street.

Too afraid of running into him at the mansion, she decided to instead go to her parents house. She was grateful to see the house dark and quiet when she pulled into the driveway. She knew if her mom and Caroline had been home, they would have tried to talk her out doing what she was about to do .

Once she was inside she peeled her dress off and changed into a pair of jeans and a cotton t-shirt. Next, she grabbed the biggest suitcase she could find in the garage and brought it into her room. She grabbed everything she didn't take with her to Klaus's place and packed it away in the suitcase. She'd just go buy anything else she needed along the way as the need came up.. After zipping up the suitcase she grabbed an older purse she hadn't been using and stuffed her wallet inside, along with a couple of books and her spare phone charger. She headed back into the living room and stopped in the kitchen. She dug a notepad and pen out of one of the drawers in the kitchen and quickly composed a note to her mom and sister.

 _Mom and Caroline,_  
 _By the time you read this, I'll be long gone from Mystic Falls. Klaus killed Carol Lockwood tonight. I saw the whole thing. I'm so sorry for up and leaving like this, but I can't be in this town right now. Not after what he did. Not while he is still here. I should have listened to you, Caroline. You, Stefan, Damon, Elena, Bonnie, you were all right about him. You tried to tell me so many different times, and I wouldn't listen. I guess I thought I could change him, or at least bring out the good I believed was in him. But, I was wrong. Ridiculously, horribly wrong. Please tell Tyler how sorry I am for his loss, and that I love him. And I love both of you. So, so much. I promise I'll call you soon._  
 _-Cass_

Cassandra left the note on the kitchen table and grabbed her suitcase and purse before heading out to her car. She put the suitcase in the trunk of her car and climbed into the driver's seat. Before she drove off, she grabbed her phone from the passenger seat where she'd left it and turned it off. She didn't want to talk to anyone else that night. With one last look at the house she pulled out of the driveway and headed to the main highway. She didn't have a destination in mind, just that the farther away she got from town, the better.

* * *

 **I know, I know. I'm a horrible, mean, downright evil author. Go ahead, come at me with your pitchforks and torches. I can take it. Things going south between Cassandra and Klaus was inevitable, with him killing Tyler's mother. With that said, you can rest assured, that is is not the end for these two. Far from it, actually, but that's all I'm going to say for now. The next chapter follows Cassandra on her travels, where along the way she runs into an unexpected canon character. I'll let you guys mull over that one for a while.** **Thank you for continuing to stick with me. I promise it'll be worth it!**


	23. Unexpected Faces in Unfamiliar Places

**I am completely blown away by the response you guys have had to the last chapter! I can't begin to express my thanks to each and every one of you for taking the time to tell me how much you enjoy this story. A number of you called this "a joy to read" and...I am so appreciate of that. To know you guys love reading this as much as I love writing it is all I ever wanted. With that said, I can't wait to see what you all think of this chapter. You guys had some great guesses at who Cassandra will run into. Read on to find out if those guesses were right. Thanks again for all of the love! Oh, and just in case you guys were curious and wanted to look it up, the Inn that Cassandra is based off of The Wayside Inn, a place I found while doing buttloads of research for this section of the story. They have an official website with lots of great pictures! Enjoy!  
**

* * *

 **Chapter 23 - Unexpected Faces in Unfamiliar Places**

After two and a half hours of driving, a sign signaling her arrival in a town called Brightview caught Cassandra's eyes as her car's headlights flashed upon it. A glance at the clock on her dashboard told her it was nearing eleven, way past check-in time for most small town Bed and Breakfasts. She crossed her fingers, hoping to come across an Inn of some kind that was still open. The last thing she wanted to do was stay in some skeevy motel.

Half a mile later it looked as though her wish was coming true as she spotted a huge sign next to a giant Victorian two story property with columns and dozens of windows that said _Brightview Inn._ She pulled into the parking lot and parked as close as she could to the entrance. There were a good dozen other cars parked, which didn't leave her with high hopes of being able to get a room. With a deep breath she climbed out of the car and made her way up the sidewalk to where the front door was. As she approached the porch she noticed the brick paneling on the main part of the Inn for the first time. Mixed with the wooden panels on the building additions, it was charming and timeless.

She peered through the window in the front door, but saw no signs of anyone at the front desk. She reached for the door knob and slowly turned it. Her heart sank when she discovered it was locked. Just as she'd feared, she was way too late to get a room there. With a gloomy sigh, she turned around and trudged back to her car. She'd barely reached it when a voice calling out to her caused her head to snap up. She spun around and found an older woman walking towards her.

"Miss! Oh miss!" The woman stopped beside her. "I was passin' by the front desk and saw you as you were walkin' away. My name is Lydia. My husband and I are the innkeepers."

"Oh..I…I apologize if I disturbed anyone. I was hoping you were still open, but I'm too late," Cassandra stammered.

"Do you need a place to stay hun?" Lydia asked with a kind, warm smile.

"Yes, but I don't want to impose. It's after hours, and I…"

"Oh, nonsense. Grab your things and come on in. We'll get you all set up and squared away."

Cassandra blinked in surprise. "Really?"

"Absolutely," Lydia nodded.

Cassandra didn't need to be told twice and quickly grabbed her purse and suitcase from the car. She followed Lydia back to the front door.

"Thank you so much for this," Cassandra sighed as she pulled her suitcase over the threshold and stopped at the front desk. "My name's Cassandra."

"Pleasure to meet you, Cassandra," Lydia smiled as she walked around the other side of the front desk and opened up a big ledger. "Where are you from?"

"A small town about two hundred miles southeast of here," she answered as she dug out her wallet from her purse.

"You're pretty far from home, aren'tcha?" Lydia turned around and pulled a key ring off of a hook on the wall.

"Yeah," Cassandra shifted uncomfortably. "Let's just say home and I aren't on good terms right now."

"Say no more, hun. I hear you loud and clear."

After booking a room for the next two nights with the possibility of adding on more days down the road, Lydia handed Cassandra the key and wished her a goodnight.

"Just gimme a ring if you need anything. Complimentary Breakfast is from eight to nine. I hope you enjoy your stay while you're here."

Cassandra thanked her and slowly made her way up the stairs. When she arrived in her room, she could not stop the smile that crept up on her face as she looked around. There was a beautiful white canopy, full size bed with a little wooden end table on one side, and a stand for her suitcase on the other. Across from the bed was a wooden dresser with a widescreen TV placed on top. She placed her suitcase on the provided stand next to the bed and walked over to the tall window on the other side of the room. She peered out, but it was too dark to see much of anything, so she pulled the blinds closed.

She walked back over to her suitcase and opened it up to pull out some pajamas to change into after taking a shower. With clean clothes in her arms she headed into the small bathroom. A few minutes later she was standing inside the small shower stall with hot water running down her body. As her muscles finally began to relax, everything she'd been bottling up since she got in her car slowly began to seep to the surface. She felt tears pooling in her eyes and tried to wipe them away with a knuckle, but they began to fall anyway.

She still couldn't believe Carol Lockwood, a woman she'd known her whole life was dead, gone forever. They may not have been close, but she was a family friend. Her heart, though, broke for Tyler. He had no family left, no hybrid pack, and it was all because of Klaus. She _hated_ Klaus for what he did, hated herself for getting caught up under his spell. Her mind became flooded with memories of all of the incredible moments they had shared the past few months. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't been starting to fall for him, but now she felt like he'd ripped her heart out and crushed it into a million tiny pieces.

A strange sound pulled her out of her thoughts. She realized a second later that it was coming from her! She was sobbing. She sunk against the shower wall to the floor and hugged her legs against her chest, unable to stop as her body shook with sob after sob.

She would never know exactly how long she stayed that way, just that she cried until she couldn't anymore. Exhausted physically and emotionally, Cassandra pushed herself back up onto her feet and finished washing. Her movements as she dried off and put on her pajamas were zombie-like. She didn't care that her hair was damp as she pulled the covers back and climbed into the canopy bed. Her only fear was being unable to fall asleep, but she needn't have worried. She was asleep within moments of her head hitting the pillow.

-o-

Two Days Later

Cassandra took a deep breath as she held down the power button on her cell phone and waited for it to boot up. She decided after laying low in the Inn for two days, completely avoiding the device, it was time to reach out to her mom and sister. A few seconds later all of the missed calls, texts, and voicemails since she'd shut it off forty eight hours ago began to load. She wasn't surprised to see a dozen missed calls from Klaus alone, or the bajillion text messages he'd sent. She simply deleted them all without reading any and did the same with the voicemails he left.

Hearing the voices of her mom and sister made her heart swell. They seemed to understand her need for space and didn't leave as many messages as Klaus had. She started to type out a group message to her mom and sister, but quickly realized she'd rather hear their voices. She dialed her mom's phone number and held the phone up to her ear as she stood in front of the window in her room.

"Cassandra!" Elizabeth answered after two rings. "Oh honey, I'm so glad you called.

"Is that Cass?" She heard Caroline's voice ask in the background.

"Yeah. Hang on a second, Cassandra. I'm going to put you on speaker," Elizabeth told her. "Okay, there."

"Cass!" Cassandra was able to hear Caroline's voice much better now. "How are you? Where are you? When are you coming home?"

"Hey Care," Cassandra murmured. "I'm all right I guess. I'm still in Virginia, but beyond that I'd rather not say. Plausible deniability—if Klaus asks, or even tries to compel anything out of you, there won't be anything for him to find. I don't know when I'll be coming back. Maybe in a few more days, once I can stomach the thought of being in the same town as him again."

"Take as much time as you need, sweetheart," Elizabeth's voice was soft and warm. "We're just glad you're safe."

"I am. I'm staying in this really cozy little Inn. The owners are really nice. And the food is fantastic." Cassandra mused. "Hey Care, how's Tyler. I thought about calling him, but I wasn't sure he'd feel like talking."

"He's not good," Caroline replied sadly. "He's angry. Really angry."

"I wish there was something I could do."

"I'll tell him you wanted to call him and let you know what he says. Anyway, I should go. I only came by the house to change. I've been staying with Tyler since his mom died and I don't want to leave him alone for too long."

"Okay. I'm glad I was able to talk to you," Cassandra smiled weakly as she gazed out of the window.

"Me too. Stay strong Cass. I'll talk to you again soon!"

There was a brief pause before Elizabeth resumed talking. "I should go, too. I still have some loose ends to tie up in the investigation on Carol's death. Even though you, and I, and everyone else in our little supernatural circle know the truth, the rest of the town doesn't and can't know. I have to rule it an accidental death."

"Oh wow," Cassandra sighed. "No wonder Tyler's so angry."

"Mmhmm. I wish there was something I could do, but my hands are tied," Elizabeth replied ruefully.

"It's not like you can arrest Klaus or anything. That's just…ugh no way."

"Exactly."

"Well," Cassandra sighed, "I should let you get back to work. I've kept you long enough."

"Call again soon. And stay safe," Elizabeth swallowed the lump that began form in her throat at the thought of having to say goodbye to her oldest daughter.

"I will. I love you, mom."

"I love you too, sweetie."

Cassandra ended the call and brought her arm back down to her side. She shook away the tears that stung her eyes and gathered her purse. As she was walking to the door she went to tuck her phone inside her purse when it began to ring. She pulled her hand back out to look at the screen and groaned at seeing the words _Incoming Call – Klaus_ flashing back at her. She tapped ignore and let it go to voicemail before slipping her phone into her purse.

On her way out of the Inn she made sure to grab a map of the area geared for tourists so she'd have a better idea of what was around her. She'd barely taken a few steps down the sidewalk when she heard her phone buzzing from inside her purse again. She pulled it out just far enough to see the caller id on the screen and promptly shoved it back into her purse upon seeing Klaus's name again. He must have realized she turned her phone back on when it rang before going to voicemail instead of going straight there. Five minutes later it rang a third time. She didn't need to check the screen to know who it was. Her suspicion was confirmed when the "New Voicemail" sound chimed out a minute or so later. Once more she took out her phone and deleted the unwanted message. With a deep breath, she continued on her way down the town's Main Street.

A smile slowly formed on her face as she took in the different Christmas decorations in front of the various shops. From Nativity scenes to Santa and his elves, to snowflakes, snowmen, and candy canes, the town was oozing with the holiday spirit. All of the lamp posts up and down the street had giant red bows tied to them and were wrapped in lights. She couldn't wait to see them lit up once night fell.

After a little bit of walking she came up to a clothing store that she decided was worth popping into with the hopes of finding a Christmas present for her sister. Half an hour later she walked back out with a shopping bag in her hand after having purchased a dressy scarf she knew Caroline would love.

Wanting to see if there was anything touristy to do, Cassandra pulled out the map she had in her purse and moved over to the edge of the sidewalk next to the shop to look at it. She was so engrossed in locating her current position and figuring out what was nearby, that she completely oblivious to the brown haired figure who'd been watching her since the moment she stepped out of the store.

"Well, well. You're quite a long way from Mystic Falls," the unexpected, yet familiar voice spoke from beside her. Her eyes widened in surprise as she lowered the map and turned her head towards the source of the voice.

"Kol," she breathed softly. "Wh..what are you doing here?"

"Surprised to see me, darling?" The youngest of the Mikaelson men grinned at her. "You know, I could ask you the same thing."

"I needed a break from Mystic Falls and its inhabitants," she told him as she stuffed her map back into her purse and folded her arms over her chest.

"What did he do this time?" Kol was able to read in between the lines of her vague answer. She quickly told him about the tragic death of Carol Lockwood and the hybrids. He wasn't surprised in the least. "Well, Nik has always had a bit of a temper, though I'm sorry to hear about the unfortunate demise of the lovely Mayor Lockwood. I actually liked her."

"I've known..knew her my whole life. Her son is like a brother to me. Now he's got no family left, all because he was trying to help his pack gain their freedom from your brother's stupid sire bond, and...damn it!" She groaned as her phone started to ring from inside her purse. She whipped it out in a huff. "He won't stop calling!"

"May I?" Kol held out his hand. Cassandra handed him her phone, watching curiously as he answered the call and brought it to his ear. "Hello, brother."

"Kol," Klaus growled softly. "Where is Cassandra?"

"Lighten up, will you? She's right here, looking as delectable as always I must admit," Kol glanced sideways at her, flashing her another grin. She rolled her eyes as she shuffled her feet.

"Put her on the phone. _Now,_ " Klaus ordered with another deep growl.

"Sorry. No can do, brother. She doesn't want to talk to you," Kol told him. "But don't worry. I'll look after her. I suggest you abide by her wishes and stop calling her. Unless you want to talk to me, then by all means continue because I'll keep answering if you do."

"Kol!" Klaus roared in protest as Kol abruptly ended the call, a smirk on his face.

"I'm guessing that didn't go over well," Cassandra took her phone from him and slipped it back into her purse as she began to continue walking down the street.

"Let's just say I have no immediate plans to return to Mystic Falls lest I want to end up with a dagger in my chest again," Kol answered, falling into step beside her.

"Ah. Well..thanks for getting him to leave me alone."

"You're welcome."

They walked silently for a couple hundred yards, waiting to see if Cassandra's phone was going to ring. She was relieved when it stayed quiet.

"So," Kol broke the silence. "What are your plans for the rest of the day?"

"I'm not sure yet," she thought about it for a long moment. "I saw something about a Tree Lighting Ceremony tonight in the Town Square at the store I just left that I was thinking about checking out. Actually, I was in the middle of looking to see what else there is to do around here when you found me."

"Well then, it's a good thing I know every inch of this quaint, little town," Kol grinned. "Allow me to be your guide."

Cassandra had a feeling he wouldn't take no for an answer. Deciding she could use the distraction, she slowly began to nod. "Okay. Sure."

She spent the rest of the afternoon being led around town by the original vampire to see the places and things he had deemed noteworthy. Her favorite place was a historic Manor that was home to the town's very first mayor back in the late 1700's. She had to suppress her laughter multiple times during the tour when Kol would contradict everything the guide was saying in hushed whispers.

As they made their way back through the main part of town, the festivities leading up to the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony after dark were in full swing. There were vendor booths and game booths, a Photo with Santa area, a snow machine spitting out real snow in a designated area, and dozens of families strolling around. It made her miss being with her family back home. She quickly shook those thoughts out of her head as they came to a stop underneath a giant tree wrapped in strands of twinkle lights to watch the kids playing in the snow. She didn't know how long they'd been standing there when her eyes flashed over to Kol who was staring up at the tree. She followed his gaze and found what he had been staring at.

"Oh no! No, no, no, no," Cassandra's eyes widened in pure shock at the small sprig of mistletoe that had been tied to the branch they were standing under. She slowly started to step backwards, shaking her head as she held her hands up in front of her. "No way. Not gonna happen."

"Oh, come on, love. Where's your holiday spirit?" Kol eyed her, grinning from ear to ear. She continued to shake her head as she folded her arms across her chest. "You would turn your back on a long standing Christmas tradition that has been around for centuries?"

"Kol..." Cassandra sighed. "I can't."

"It's just one harmless, little kiss."

"In my experience there is no such thing as a harmless, little kiss."

"Come on, just kiss the poor guy already," Someone nearby urged her on. She glanced around, noticing for the first time that they had attracted a small audience.

"If you don't, I'll do it!" An eager female voice shouted next.

"Kiss him! Kiss him! Kiss him!" People began to chant softly.

Kol wiggled his eyebrows at Cassandra, flashing her a flirty grin. She glanced around at the small group of people that had gathered around them. Their chants slowly began to grow louder.

Eventually she couldn't take it anymore and threw her hands up into the air as she surrendered."All right, all right. I'll do it."

Taking a deep breath, she shuffled forward until she was standing in front of Kol again. She slowly met his eyes, wishing desperately to wipe the ridiculously wide grin he wore on his face.

"Don't worry, darling, " he murmured softly. "I promise I won't bite. Well, I won't bite _you_."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "You know, _that_ hadn't actually crossed my mind until right now. Thanks for reminding me of your predatory nature."

"You're stalling."

"Ugh. Okay, okay. Let's just get this over with."

She let out a soft breath and slowly leaned toward him. She had fully intended on giving him the quickest peck on the mouth, but the second their lips made contact his arms wrapped around her and dipped her back as he deepened the kiss. She instinctively latched onto his upper arms from the sudden movement as the sound of people cheering rang out in the background. After a few painstakingly long seconds he raised her back up and slowly pulled away. Her eyes blinked open as her brain worked to catch up with what had just happened. She stared at Kol, bewildered, and quickly let go of him, bringing a hand up to her mouth. He gazed back at her looking incredibly pleased with himself.

"You...I can't believe you...what the hell happened to 'harmless _little_ kiss'?" She sputtered.

"What can I say? I saw an opportunity and took it," he winked at her.

"Of course you did," she scoffed. "You're just like your brother. And no, that is not a complement."

She started to walk away from him when he whooshed and appeared in front of her. "Don't be angry with me, darling."

"Let me pass, Kol," Cassandra folded her arms across her chest as she narrowed her eyes at him. "You had your time showing me around town. Now I just want to go back to the Inn I'm staying at and…"

"What about the Tree Lighting Ceremony?" He interrupted.

"What about it?"

"You were interested in attending. It's beginning to get dark, which means it'll be starting soon. If you leave now, you'll miss out. I happen to know the perfect viewing spot if you're still interested in attending."

"Of course you do," she wasn't surprised. She took a minute to think about how badly she wanted to go to the ceremony and whether or not she would wish she'd gone if she decided to skip it. She knew she shouldn't skip it, regardless of the company she was with. She needed something happy and pleasant to help ease the pain she still carried around in her heart. As much as she didn't want to be around Kol, she wanted to watch the giant twelve foot tall Christmas Tree in the town square light up in the dark night more. "Fine. But after the ceremony, I'm going back to the Inn.

"Excellent," Kol smiled at her. "Let's go."


	24. Truth or Dare

**Remember how I said at the beginning of Season 4 there would be things you guys will probably want to come at me with pitchforks for? Well, one of those moments may or may not be in this chapter. I will let you decide. Thank you so much for continuing to read and leave the best reviews. There is one thing I wanted to touch on that I saw in a couple of reviews. It may not have come across as well as I intended it to, and for that I apologize. Cassandra kept Tyler and Hayley's secret about helping the other hybrids break their sire bond because she wanted them to have their free will back. It wasn't about loyalty. Free will is extremely important to her, especially after what her sister tried to do to her. Plus she knew what Klaus would do to Tyler if he found out. I hope that helps. Please let me know if anything else is unclear and I'll gladly do my best to explain. Enjoy this next chapter. It's a nice long one!**

* * *

 **Chapter 24 - Truth Or Dare**

"All right, everybody. Here we go! 10…9…8…" The mayor led everyone in attendance at the Tree Lighting Ceremony in the big countdown leading to the spectacular light reveal. Cassandra smiled as she chanted with everyone else, her eyes glued to the tall, darkened Christmas tree set up in front of City Hall. When the countdown reached '1' there was a loud symbol crash as the lights on the tree came to life, illuminating the town square. Whoops and cheers erupted from the crowd as phones and cameras snapped picture after picture.

Cassandra smiled as she admired the grand display. She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture to send to her mother and sister. Thinking of you both tonight!, she captioned the photo and hit send. Slipping her phone back into her bag, she glanced over at Kol and found him eyeing her curiously. Shaking her head with a soft chuckle, she turned back towards the tree to gaze at it a while longer.

"It's not bad for a small town tree," Kol mused, shifting his eyes back onto the display. "But I've seen bigger and better."

"Let me guess. Rockefeller Center in New York."

"Good guess. Have you ever been?"

"To New York?" Cassandra forced herself to look away from the glowing Christmas tree and over at the original vampire. "I have, but not at this time of year. I visited during the summer with some friends after high school."

"Of course, it's been at least a century since I've been there. I expect it's changed a great deal."

"Yeah, now there's way more people there, more skyscrapers more...everything basically."

"Huh, perhaps I will have to visit the Big Apple in the near future. Maybe I'll even find a way to convince you to see it with me."

Cassandra fought back a laugh that bubbled in her chest. "Yeah, never gonna happen, Kol. And on that note, now that the ceremony is over, I'm going back to the Inn." She started to walk past him, but before she could get more than a few steps in he appeared in front of her.

"Wait. Have dinner with me," he gazed back at her with hopeful eyes.

"Kol…" She sighed softly with a slight shake of her head.

"Come on. You have to eat, right?"

She pinched her eyes shut, not wanting to admit he was right. "Ugh. Yes, I suppose I do."

"Well?"

"Fine," she slowly looked at him, pointing a finger as she continued to speak. "But it's just dinner. Don't go getting any more ideas, got it?"

"Whatever you say, darling," his lips curled upward into a smile that clearly told her he wasn't going to listen. Holding a hand out, he continued to speak. "Would you permit me to get us there in a more timely manner?"

With a soft sigh, Cassandra nodded and placed her hand in his. Everything around her instantly became a blur as Kol took off at vampire speed. She blinked and found they had stopped in front of a place called The Red Fox. Kol pulled the door open and stepped to the side to let her enter ahead of couldn't deny that she appreciated the gentlemanly gesture. Her eyes widened in wonder as she looked around at the swanky 20's era décor and furniture.

"Why am I not surprised you chose this place?" She laughed. "You Mikaelson's and the twenties."

"It is our favorite decade," Kol grinned.

They were led to a small table for two off to the side. Cassandra had barely opened her menu when a waiter appeared to take their drink orders. Kol ordered a bourbon while Cassandra went with a Long Island Iced Tea. She wanted something strong to be able to endure the rest of the evening with him. After the waiter left to get their drinks, she resumed her perusal of the menu to figure out what she wanted to eat. It didn't take her long to decide, and once the waiter returned with their drinks, they placed their orders.

"I'll have the bacon burger," she handed her menu to the waiter.

"Ah, a woman with a hearty appetite, eh?" Kol grinned. "I'll have the same."

She slowly stirred the tall glass that had been placed in front of her before taking a small sip from the straw. It burned her throat, but only for a moment. She quickly took a second sip which burned less than the first. It was strong, just like she'd wanted. Her eyes flickered onto Kol who was staring back at her as he took a sip from his own glass.

"What?" She stared at him as she leaned back in her chair.

"Just admiring," Kol smiled as he set his glass back down. She rolled her eyes and took another sip of her drink. "So, tell me. Have you been good this year? Or are you on Santa's naughty list?"

"What?" Cassandra blinked, taken aback by his question.

"Wait, I know the answer to that," he mused. "You've been spending time with the Mikaelson's, and that definitely makes you a naughty girl. No presents for you this year."

"Well then, no presents for you either,," she wrinkled her nose at him. A moment later they burst into a soft fit of laughter. "What am I saying? I've spent enough time around your family to know you just take whatever you want."

"Ah, that we do."

"Wow, no attempting to deny it?"

"Nope. No point," he took another sip of his drink. After setting the glass back down he leaned forward towards her. "Although, what I want right now I've refrained from taking. It wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me."

"Uh, thanks," she answered slowly. She took another sip of her drink as Kol leaned back in his chair. They continued making casual conversation until their food arrived. Cassandra hadn't realized just how hungry she was until she'd taken a bite of her burger. "Oh my god this is so good."

"Agreed," Kol answered after swallowing a mouthful.

A little while later, Cassandra leaned back in her chair with a satisfied sigh. She'd cleared her plate and drank more than two thirds of her drink, leaving her feeling full and very relaxed. Her eyes wandered around the room and landed on the small blues jazz band that had been playing in a corner since they'd arrived. Their setlist consisted of different Christmas songs, some traditional, some more contemporary. She enjoyed all of it.

Kol noticed she was looking at something off to the side and followed her gaze. His lips slowly curled into a huge grin as he turned back toward her. Standing up, he held a hand out to her. "Dance with me."

"What?" She gasped, her eyes widening in surprise. "But..no one else is."

"Darling, I guarantee there are at least five couples in here who all want to get up and dance, but they're too afraid to be the first to do so and are waiting for someone else to break the ice. Come on. Live a little," he urged her with his eyes. The last thing she wanted to do was dance with him, but she could tell by the look in his eyes he wasn't going to take no for an answer and would continue to pester her until she said yes.

"You are relentless. It's really annoying actually," she sighed. "I am absolutely positive I'll regret this later, but fine. One dance."

She placed her hand in his and stood up. He guided her to a clear bit of space near the band and turned around to face her. She stepped closer and raised her other hand, placing it on his shoulder while he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her much closer than she preferred to be. They began moving to the music, swaying back and forth.

Like Kol predicted, twenty seconds later they were joined by another couple, then another, until there were a half dozen pairs moving to the music.

"See, what'd I tell you? They just needed someone else to break the ice," Kol whispered in her ear, sending an unexpected chill down her spine.

"So you did," she slowly met his eyes with her own, a smile tugging at her lips. "Congratulations. You were right."

"What was that? I couldn't quite hear you," he grinned .

"Nope, sorry. One time deal. I'm not saying it again," she shook her head. As they continued to dance she began to notice, much to her dismay, that he was very smooth on his feet. "I will deny ever saying this later, but you are a pretty good dancer."

"Well, well. She actually gave me a complement!" Kol grinned at this. "If my brother had introduced us at the ball last month, I would have stolen you away for a dance where you would have come to this realization much sooner."

Cassandra laughed softly. "Perhaps, but we'll never know for sure."

"No, I suppose not, but if I had to make a wager, I'd bet on me every time."

"Somehow, I'm not surprised."

She started to roll her eyes when Kol leaned her backwards in a dip. She clung to his shoulder as he gazed down at her, their noses almost touching. His eyes flashed onto her lips. She knew what he wanted, but before she could say anything to dissuade him, he closed the gap between them and pressed his lips against hers. His lips were warm, and more gentle than earlier when he kissed her under the mistletoe. As he guided her back to an upright position while their lips remained connected, her drive and willingness to continue fighting his advances snapped, and the next thing she knew her mouth was moving back against his. On some level she knew it wasn't supposed to be happening, (and she would later blame her strong drink for her poor judgment) but her body's basic, primitive wants and desires for immediate gratification muted the voice of reason in her mind.

A moment later she could no longer hear the music. The cool night air tickled the skin on her arms. She realized as Kol pushed her back against the wall of the building and pressed his body against hers that he had whooshed the two of them outside. She mumbled something about her purse against his lips and a second later felt the straps being slipped into her hands.

"Shall we…go somewhere….more private?" He whispered as he moved his lips along her jawline.

She silently nodded her head before capturing his lips in another kiss. Everything around them became a blur as Kol whooshed down the street towards the top floor suite he was staying in. She heard a door opening and closing with a click and in less than a second found herself flat on her back on a huge bed with the original vampire hovering over her. He shrugged off his jacket and tossed it effortlessly onto a nearby chair before kissing her with a fierce hunger. She ran her hands along his chest and rocked her hips up against his, earning a grunt from him in response. His hands slipped under her shirt and caressed her soft skin as he slowly moved the fabric up her torso. She pulled away from him and raised her arms, allowing him to remove her shirt the rest of the way. As he let it fall onto the floor, she reached for his shirt and began pulling it up. He helped her peel it off of him and resumed kissing her as she let it drop to the floor.

Her hands ran along his toned shoulders as he nipped at the soft skin under her ear, causing a soft moan to escape her lips. He slid his hands behind her back and quickly unclasped her bra before pulling it off of her and discarding it over the side of the bed where their shirts where. She arched her back as he left a trail of kisses down the middle of her chest and caressed her with his hands. She glided her fingers down his rock hard chest until she reached the edge of his pants and quickly began to undo his belt buckle. Once she had gained better access, she began to tease him, smirking at his uncontrollable responses to her touch. She knew he would tease her back tenfold, and as the rest of their clothes came off, he proved her right.

-o-

Cassandra slowly blinked her eyes open and raised her head a couple of inches to look at the clock on the nightstand next to her. It was ten thirty two! She couldn't believe how late in the morning it was. She eyed the clock again and realized it was different than the clock she remembered from the room she'd been staying in the past few days. Instantly, the memory of the previous night came barreling back into her mind.

She started to turn her head to look at the sleeping original vampire beside her, when she noticed a warm feeling along her torso. Her eyes traveled down where she discovered Kol's arm draped over her. Her eyes flickered onto his still form as he lay on his side facing her. She was amazed at how peaceful he looked while he slept. Not wanting to stare, she bit her lip as she carefully attempted to slide his arm away from her, but the second she began to move it, he pulled her closer to him. She half wondered if he was pretending to be asleep, but the soft breath that left his lips a second later told her otherwise. If he didn't look so adorable as he slept, with wisps of his brown hair cascading against his face, she would have been extremely annoyed with him.

She lay still beside him as the minutes slowly ticked by, trying to figure out the best way to free herself from his grasp without waking him. When she couldn't come up with any other methods, she threw caution to the wind and decided she didn't care if moving his arm woke him up. She started to lift his arm when his cell phone began to ring from the nightstand on his side of the bed. She groaned softly and let go of his arm, wanting to see if his phone would wake him up. She was disappointed when he didn't move and the phone stopped ringing. Before she could make a third attempt to move his arm, the phone started ringing again.

"Oh for pete's sake," she sighed as she pushed herself up and hovered over him so she could reach for his phone. Once she had it in her hand, she quickly answered it without looking to see who was calling and held it to her ear. "Hello?"

"Oh!" the caller hesitated, clearly taken by surprise. "I was trying to call my brother."

"This is Kol's phone…wait…Rebekah?" Cassandra's eyes widened in surprise as she tried to move back to her side of the bed. She found herself unable to move and looked down to see Kol gazing up at her, a smirk tugging at his lips.

"Cassandra?" Rebekah gasped. "Well this is an unexpected surprise. And why, pray tell, are you answering my brother's phone?"

"Because he wouldn't wake up and answer it himself. How are you back with the land of the living? Who undaggered you?"

"April Young. Nice girl. My new friend. So you were with him while he was asleep? Were you two having a little sleepover?"

Cassandra bit her lip. She hadn't been planning on telling anyone of her night with the original vampire, but she should have known Rebekah would get it out of her. "Weren't you calling to speak to your brother? He's right here, and he's wide awake now..hey!" Kol had been running his fingers along her lower back and had chosen that moment to move them farther down, making her jump and squeak in surprise. His chest shook as he laughed softly in victory. She flashed him a glare and swatted his hand away.

"You're evading the question, which is as good as a yes in my book. Interesting," Rebekah was amused by this new development. "We'll just have to chat more about it later. I did call to speak to Kol about something. You may give the phone to him now."

"Gladly," Cassandra lowered the phone and handed it to Kol. He finally let her go as he sat up and brought it up to his ear.

"Hello, Bekah," he chirped in a pleasant sounding voice. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

Cassandra fell back against the bed, hugging the sheet to her body as she sat up and reached over the side for her bra and underwear. As she was sliding the bra straps onto her shoulders, Kol lowered the phone from his ear and ended the call with his sister.

"So," he turned toward Cassandra. "Rebekah has asked me to run an errand for her. She needs to speak to a professor from Whitmore College, a Professor Shane I believe, about the location of the cure. Now, I could steal a car and drive there myself, or…"

"Or?" She eyed him skeptically.

"Or you could accompany me and we use your car," he finished with a grin. "Come with me. It'll be fun. I've got some good road trip music."

Cassandra signed softly. "What the hell. I'm ready to leave this town anyway."

"Wonderful," he smiled and reached for the room's main phone. "I'll have some food brought up. Then we can collect your things from that quaint, little Inn and be on our way."

A little over an hour later they were driving away in Cassandra's car. True to his word, Kol started a playlist he had created on his iPod. Cassandra couldn't stop the tiny smile from tugging at her lips at his wonderment in the small device. It reminded her that there was still a lot about the modern world that he was only beginning to discover. She made a mental note to show him video chatting at some point in the future. She was certain it would blow his mind.

They arrived at Whitmore College a couple hours later. Cassandra waited in the car while Kol went to fetch the professor his sister wanted to speak to. She didn't want any part in the detainment of this man. She only had to wait a couple minutes for Kol to return with their new passenger. When he stopped in front of the back of her car, she eyed him in her rearview mirror curiously. He motioned at the trunk with his head and waited. With a groan she begrudgingly reached down for the lever and pulled it, popping up the trunk of her car. She heard it slam shut a few seconds later and exhaled softly as Kol climbed back into the passenger seat.

"The trunk? Really?" She scoffed as she started the car.

"Why not? He won't be able to escape," Kol grinned at her.

"What if he kicks out one of the brake lights? He can attract attention that way," she grumbled as she guided the car back onto the highway.

"Relax, darling," he gave her leg a gentle squeeze. "He knows about my family. He won't pass up the chance to meet more of us."

She nodded slowly, keeping her eyes on the road. A couple of minutes went by before she realized he had left his hand on her leg. "You can take your hand back, you know," she kept looking forward, though it was hard not to notice the deep green of his coat from the corner of her eye.

"You didn't mind last night," she didn't need to look over at him to know he was smirking at her as he spoke in a lower voice.

"Last night I had a strong drink that made me care less about my actions than I do now," she shot a glance at him.

"Fine, fine," he sighed as he recoiled his arm.

"Thank you," she murmured softly in return.

The rest of the drive back to Mystic Falls was quiet. She couldn't help but wonder if she had hurt him—or at the very least bruised his ego a little, but that wasn't something she felt like addressing while they were cooped up in her little Honda with a third passenger locked in the trunk, so she let it go for the time being.

"Why does your sister want us to meet her here?" Cassandra wondered as she pulled into the empty Mystic Falls High parking lot a little while later.

"Your guess is as good as mine," Kol shrugged.

After coming to a stop in the closest parking space, they climbed out of the car. Cassandra waited by the front of the car while Kol retrieved the professor from the trunk and led the way as they headed into the school.

"She said to bring him to the library," Kol nodded towards a hallway. As they walked, her eyes landed on the professor. He was eying her curiously.

"Yes, I know who and what he is. I'm very well informed on the Mikaelsons," she fought back a laugh at the professor's surprised expression. Before she could say anything else, Kol put a hand up, and mumbled for them to wait there while he began to push open the door and poke his head around it to see inside.

"Sister..." He called out. As Rebekah turned around to face him, his face broke out into a grin at the sight of her guests seated around the table she stood in front of. "Look at this. You're even worse than Klaus."

"Kol. Finally," Rebekah was pleased to see him. "Did you bring what I asked for?"

Wordlessly, Kol turned and reached back through the doorway and pulled the professor into the room. He shoved him forward towards Rebekah.

"You must be Shane," Rebekah smiled at the professor.

"Oh, sister, I hope you don't mind, but, I brought a little something else as well," Kol flashed her a grin before turning back to the door. He opened it and motioned for Cassandra to come inside. She eyed him cautiously as she walked in.

"Well, isn't this a lovely surprise," Rebekah smiled as she walked forward and hugged Cassandra.

"It's good to see you upright again," Cassandra laughed as they hugged.

"Cass?" A familiar voice called out. Cassandra looked over Rebekah's shoulder and gasped in surprise at seeing her sister seated with Stefan and Elena. "What's going on?"

"Oh, them?" Rebekah turned around to face the group seated the table. "We're just playing a little game of Truth or Dare. I've compelled all of them to tell the truth."

"But...why?" Cassandra blinked. She started to get a bad feeling about where this was going.

"Why, to get the truth of course," Rebekah laughed.

"Why are you with Kol?" Caroline narrowed her eyes at Cassandra.

Kol smirked as he walked up and draped his arm over Cassandra's shoulders. "We've been having a pretty delightful time the past couple of days, haven't we darling?"

Cassandra tensed as his arm made contact and shrugged it off of her. "We bumped into each other in the town I was staying in."

"Oh, don't sugar coat it," Rebekah gave a bored sigh. "She and Kol had a little sleepover last night."

"Oh my god. You and Kol..you...oh ew! Ew, ew, ew! Ugh!" Caroline covered her face as she shook her head. "I so did not need to know that."

"Well, I think I'll leave you four to sort this all out while my brother and I have a little chat with Shane," Rebekah turned on her heel and walked over to the professor.

Cassandra watched as the three of them left the room. She slowly turned back towards the table where her sister, Stefan, and Elena were seated, but she found herself unable to meet their eyes.

"Oh, don't feel ashamed," Stefan was the first to speak up. Cassandra slowly shifted her gaze over to him. "Elena slept with my brother. Looks like you both have that in common..sleeping with the brother's of your exes."

"Wait..what?" Cassandra's eyes snapped onto Elena. "You slept with Damon? I can't believe he'd use the sire bond like that. Wait, what am I saying? Of course I can believe it. This is Damon we're talking about."

"Can we please talk about something else other than who slept with who?" Caroline groaned.

"Yes, please," Elena agreed.

Cassandra nodded and began to pace around the library. "How's Tyler?" She asked, stealing a glance at her sister.

"Not good," Caroline sighed. "He's still so angry."

"I can understand why. Can't say I blame him."

"Yeah."

A gloomy silence fell over the room. Cassandra was momentarily relieved when Rebekah returned. She hung back by the librarian's desk while Rebekah continued her crazy game of truth or dare. She tried to block out their voices, but she couldn't. Her heart went out to Stefan. She couldn't imagine what he must feel having to listen to the girl he loved talk about being with his brother. She said a silent prayer that she'd never have to endure anything similar with Klaus and Kol.

"Did that hurt?" Rebekah tilted her head as she eyed Stefan. "Having someone you love drive a dagger through your heart?"

"Go to hell," he glared at her.

She crouched down and leaned in close to him, getting in his face. "Did. That. Hurt?"

"Yes," he whispered, his eyes red and brimming with tears.

"Welcome to the last nine hundred years of my life."

As Rebekah's words hung in the air, the door to the library opened loudly, causing Cassandra to jump in surprise. She gasped softly as Tyler came barreling in. He stared at her in surprise before turning toward the table where everyone else was.

Rebekah stood up and turned around to face him. "Ah, good, you're here. It was just getting depressing."

"What the hell is going on?" He growled, walking forward as he and Caroline shared a glance.

"Mmm, I'll get to that in a moment," Rebekah paused and shifted her gaze to Cassandra. "Cassandra, you're free to leave. In fact, I insist on it. I actually like you and prefer not to see you get hurt, especially considering what I have planned next for this lot."

"Which is?" She eyed the blonde Mikaelson skeptically, but her question was ignored as Rebekah turned back towards the table.

"Listen to the rules carefully," she explained. "Stay in the building. No vamp-running in the hallways."

"Vamp-running from what?" Caroline blinked, confused.

Rebekah slowly turned toward Tyler and stared at him as she compelled him. "Turn."

"What?" Elena snapped.

"Rebekah…" Cassandra began to protest this frightening turn of events.

"He can't. He'll lose control!" Caroline stammered.

"That's the whole point," Rebekah's lips curled into a devious smile. "I've exhausted all your knowledge. Now I have the professor to help me find the cure, you're just competition. Whoever finds it first gets to decide what to do with it: use it, share it, destroy it, save it. I want that to be me."

"But if I turn, I'll kill them," Tyler murmured softly.

"Yes, you will," Rebekah's stared at him. "Turn."

"No!" Cassandra shrieked softly as Rebekah made her exit from the library.

"Cass, you should leave," Tyler spoke in a low voice after a moment had passed.

"But…" Cassandra knew there wasn't anything she could do, but she didn't want to abandon them.

"Go, Cass. We'll figure something out. We're a lot more durable than you are. Please, you'll be helping more if you get out of here." Caroline urged her sister.

"Okay, okay," she nodded slowly. As she headed towards the door, she stopped by Tyler and gave his arm a quick squeeze, then bolted from the room.

She started to jog down the hallway the way she and Kol had entered, when a light shining through the narrow window on one of the classroom doors caught her eye. She walked over to it and twisted the handle. It turned easily, surprising her. She opened the door and poked her head in, discovering a young girl over by the counter, looking for supplies.

"April?" she wondered aloud. The girl spun around, confirming her suspicion.

"Oh!" April exhaled slowly once she realized who was standing in the doorway. "Hey Cassandra."

"What are you doing in here?' Cassandra stepped further into the classroom, letting the door close behind her.

"Looking for post-its and push pins for Rebekah," April answered. "For a flow chart."

"Oh. Uh..not sure she needs that now. She went to talk to Professor Shane some more," Cassandra explained. "She got the answers she was looking for from the others."

"Oh," April nodded slowly. The door opened again, causing both girls to turn toward it in surprise.

"Bonnie?" Cassandra blinked as the Bennett witch walked towards them.

"How did you know everyone was here?" April asked.

"Who's everyone?" Bonnie looked from her to Cassandra. "I came to find Shane."

"Did you do a GPS magic locator spell or something?" April asked, catching both Bonnie and Cassandra off guard with her knowledge. Bonnie eyed Cassandra, but April continued before blame could be placed. "Rebekah told me that you're a witch."

"Rebekah?" Bonnie gasped. "What the hell is going on?"

"Rebekah has Stefan, Elena, Caroline, and Tyler compelled," Cassandra sighed.

"She's getting them to actually tell the truth for a change," April added. Bonnie shook her head and walked over to the back of the classroom where a bunch of supplies were. "What?"

"Shane can't be compelled, okay? She'll happily torture him to find out what he knows," Bonnie answered. She turned around and began examining the different bottles that were on the counter.

"What are you looking for?" Cassandra asked. She felt horrible for her part in putting Shane in danger and wanted to do whatever she could to help.

"I need salt," Bonnie answered quickly.

"I think I just saw some," April turned around and went over to tall stack of shelves where a bunch of jars were. She reached for one containing white crystals and handed it to Cassandra who met Bonnie at the nearest workstation.

"Bonnie…I had no idea this was going to happen," Cassandra stammered as she twisted the lid off the jar and passed it to her. "I helped Kol bring Shane here. I just thought Rebekah wanted to talk to him."

"It's fine. He's going to be fine," Bonnie began to pour salt into five separate beakers and pulled a necklace out of her pocket. "If this pendant will connect me to Shane, then I can do a protection spell."

Cassandra and April nodded silently, stepping back to give Bonnie room to work her magic. She placed two of the salt-filled beakers on an adjacent table and stood between them. She stared at the necklace for a long moment, then tucked into both of her hands as she pinched her eyes shut and began to focus. A tall, burning flame shot up from each of the beakers.

Nothing else happened until Cassandra felt a tickle emerge in her throat. She coughed lightly in an attempt to make it go away. Bonnie opened her eyes and glanced at Cassandra. Cassandra tried to fight the urge to cough, but with each passing second it grew worse. She put a hand to her chest as she struggled to take a breath between each cough.

"Cass?" Bonnie's eyes widened as Cassandra's cough grew louder, like she was trying to expel something inside of her. Bonnie rushed over to her to make sure she was okay. "What's happening?"

Cassandra stared at Bonnie in horror as water began spilling out of her mouth. She started to sink to her knees as the water continued to gush. Then, as mysteriously as it had started, it stopped. Bonnie carefully helped Cassandra up to her feet as she gasped for breath, ushering her to sit on one of the stools.

"What….the hell…was that?" Cassandra croaked in a raspy voice.

"I don't know," Bonnie shook her head.

A burst of pain rocketed through Cassandra's stomach, causing her to cry out. She looked down as her a deep red pool of blood began forming on her grey shirt. She gripped Bonnie's arm, unable to speak.

"Oh my god!" Bonnie stared in horror. She held on to Cassandra who flailed backwards, putting a hand on her stomach were the mysterious wound appeared. As she stared at the blood coming out of her friend, she began to realize exactly what was going on. Cassandra could feel a cloud of darkness settling over her. She tried to fight it, but it was too strong.

"B…Bonnie…" she whispered before drifting into unconsciousness. Bonnie carefully laid Cassandra on the floor.

"Help! Someone help!" Bonnie cried out.

"I'll…I'll go find someone," April turned to run out of the room. The door opened before she reached it as Elena and Stefan came wandering in.

"Bonnie, what's going on?" Elena ran over to her.

"She needs help," Bonnie stared up at her with panic-stricken eyes.

"What happened?" Stefan walked around and knelt down on the other side of Cassandra's lifeless body.

"I did a protection spell, but it accidentally linked Shane to Cassandra," Bonnie quickly explained.

"And you couldn't control it?" Elena asked as Stefan bit into his wrist and held Cassandra's head up slightly with his other hand while he pressed it against her mouth.

"I didn't even know I was doing it," Bonnie rambled. "Usually I feel pain, or I bleed, but this time I just felt more power."

Cassandra's eyes fluttered open as she gasped for breath thanks to the healing power of Stefan's vampire blood. She looked around, frightened and confused.

"You're okay. You're okay. You're okay," Stefan pulled her up to a sitting position and wrapped his arms around her from behind while maintaining a grip on her wrists. Realizing she was safe, she relaxed and fell back against his chest, taking slow, deep breaths. Stephen eyed Bonnie as he carefully helped Cassandra to her feet. "Bonnie, get her and April out of the school. Just be careful. Tyler is out there, and he turned."

"What about you?" Bonnie rose to her feet.

Elena began to shake her head. "No, we can't leave. Rebekah's compelled us."

"Just go. We'll deal with her later," Stefan ushered Bonnie and Cassandra towards the door.

"Thank you, Stefan," Cassandra turned her head towards him before walking through the doorway.

"You're welcome," he smiled at her. "Now get going. Quickly! And don't worry about your sister. She can handle herself."

"I know," Cassandra smiled weakly before Bonnie pulled her out into the hallway. They ran all the way out to the parking lot and went their separate ways. Cassandra had no idea what had become of Kol. Not in the mood to wait, she reached into her jacket pocket for her keys and used the keyless entry remote to unlock her car. She was reaching for the handle when Kol's voice came out of nowhere, making her jump in surprise and drop her keys on the ground.

"There you are," his voice chimed out. "I wasn't sure if you left me behind."

She quickly picked up her keys and spun around to face him. "Kol. I…" She trailed off, realizing he was staring at her bloody shirt.

"What happened?" His eyes narrowed as he looked up at her.

"I'm fine. Bonnie…she did some kind of spell to save the professor. I think whatever you or your sister were doing to him affected me instead. Stefan healed me."

"Witches," he shook his head. "Sometimes they have no idea about the dark things they meddle with. I had heard about the professor surviving. Now I know how. I'm glad to see you made it out in one piece."

"Mmm, well, if it's all the same to you, I'd like to go home and get out of these disgusting clothes," she sighed and turned to open the driver's side door. Kol nodded and climbed into the passenger seat. She eyed him curiously. "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like? I'm coming with you, darling," he flashed her a cheeky grin. She shrugged and said nothing as she started the car.

A few minutes later she pulled into the driveway of her parent's house and quickly gathered her suitcase and purse from the backseat before heading up the walkway to the front door. After opening the door she walked inside, pulling her suitcase along with her. She stopped after a few steps when she realized Kol wasn't beside her anymore. She turned around and found him stuck outside the front door, blocked by an invisible barrier.

"Oh, that's right," her lips broke out into a huge grin as she walked back towards him. "You haven't been invited in."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Kol folded his arms across his chest.

"Kol, I….you know what? Hang on a second," she turned around and grabbed her suitcase, scurrying around the corner to her room. She came back out a minute later wearing a clean long sleeve shirt. Instead of inviting Kol inside, she walked out, shutting the door behind her, and motioned for Kol to join her on the front step. "We need to talk about something."

"I'm all ears," Kol settled in beside her.

She took a deep breath and slowly turned her head to look at him. "The last couple of days, you've kept my mind off of things, off of painful realities. Being back here, I'm forced to face them again. I don't want to lead you on. What happened last night, it's not going to happen again. I can't…I'm not over him, and I won't be for a long time. Until then, I can't be with anyone, even in a casual way."

"It's all right, darling. When you live for a thousand years as I have, you learn a thing or two about patience. And, having been daggered and stuck in a box for nearly a hundred of those years will make waiting however many months it takes for you to be ready to give me a chance seem like nothing at all."

"You're that certain I'll want to be with you one day?"

"Of course I am."

"I guess I'd expect nothing less coming from you," she laughed lightly. Together, they slowly rose to their feet.

"Well, I suppose I have a few other things I can take care of. I'll see you around, Cassandra," he leaned over a kissed her lightly cheek. "Oh, and darling, do try to stay away from witches. There may not always be a vampire around to save you."

"I will," she nodded, chuckling softly as he strolled off down the driveway. A moment later, she blinked and he had disappeared completely. With a sigh, she turned around and went back inside.

A little while later she finally heard from Caroline and learned her sister was staying over at Tyler's place for the time being. He was finally mourning the death of his mother. Not wanting to stay alone in the house, she threw her suitcase back into the car and stopped by the store to pick up an array of the world's best comfort foods before heading over to the Lockwood's estate. Once she was there, she was finally able to give Tyler the big hug she'd desperately wanted to give him since witnessing his mother's final breaths. She said nothing of the ordeal she went through with Bonnie. They had all been through enough that day.

"I'm glad you came back," Caroline murmured later when they were all stretched out on the floor after eating until they were uncomfortably stuffed.

"Me too, little sis," Cassandra smiled. "I'm glad you guys let me crash here. It beats being at home alone.

"You're always welcome here, Cass. Never forget that," Tyler reached for her hand and gave it a small squeeze.

"I won't. I promise," she smiled at him as she squeezed back.


	25. Sometimes the Truth Bites

**I am amazed there weren't more of you wanting to come after me with pitchforks after the new development between Cassandra and Kol. I'd been sitting on it for ages, silently and anxiously dreading the day it would be revealed. It was such a fun experience getting into Kol's head a little bit more after being in Klaus's for so long. Speaking of which, you will all be happy to know the undermentioned Original Hybrid and Cassandra have some deliciously tense moments in this chapter, so there's that to look forward to. Thank you as usual for sticking with me and for being as passionate and enthralled with this story as I am! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 25 - Sometimes the Truth Bites**

"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Caroline followed Cassandra outside to her car the following afternoon. "Because I totally would. Or, I could even go for you, so you don't have to face him at all."

"I'll be fine," Cassandra tried her best to reassure her sister. "I need to do this on my own. I should be in and out of there pretty quickly."

"Okay," Caroline gave her a quick hug. "If you need me to come and rescue you..."

"I'll call you," Cassandra laughed as she pulled away from her sister and climbed into her car. She flashed Caroline one last smile before backing out of the huge Lockwood driveway. She wasn't looking forward to facing Klaus as she headed to his mansion, but she wanted her things, and she knew the sooner she got all of her stuff out of his place, the better.

A few minutes later she pulled into the massive driveway. She stared at the French doors as she sat and gathered her bearings. She hadn't expected to feel so nervous. She hoped he wouldn't try to change her mind about anything, not that he would be successful if he tried. She realized she was stalling and took a deep breath as she climbed out of her car. Her legs felt like lead as she made the short walk up to the front doors and knocked firmly with her fist. A few quiet seconds passed before the door slowly opened and Klaus appeared.

"Cassandra," his voice was soft. She could tell by the look on his face that she was the last person he expected to see on his doorstep. "It's nice to see you, again. How are..."

"I'm just here to pick up my things," she interrupted him, folding her arms across her chest.

"Right, of course," he nodded slowly and stepped aside to let her in. She didn't miss the flash of disappointment in his eyes as she walked past him. She hurried up the grand staircase and made her way down the winding hallway to where her room was and pushed the door open. Her blue dress from the night of the charity event was neatly laid out on top of the bed. As she stared at it, the memory of that night began to flood her mind. Before it could consume her, she quickly pushed it away and went over to the closet.

She could feel his eyes on her as she pulled articles of clothing off their hangers and shoved them into her duffel bag. She refused to acknowledge him, and instead focused on her packing. Once she had everything from the closet in her bag she moved over to the dresser.

"You can't avoid me forever," he spoke as he leaned against the doorway.

"Well, I can sure try," she shook her head as she pulled a drawer open and shoved it's contents into her bag. After closing it with a shove, she began to pull out another drawer and realized he had moved directly behind her.

"Cassandra, please," he gingerly placed a hand on her shoulder. "Just give me a chance to..."

She froze with her hand on the drawer, tensing under his touch. "Don't," she spat. "Just go. There's nothing you can say to get me to change my mind."

With a heavy sigh, Klaus lifted his hand and vamp-sped out of the room without saying another word. Cassandra took a few deep breaths to calm herself back down and continued on with her task. After emptying all of the drawers she carried the full duffel over to the bed and carefully picked up the dress that had been placed there, delicately laying it on top of everything else in the bag. She zipped it up and disappeared into the bathroom to collect her toiletries. When she came back out she slipped them into the duffel bag's side compartment. After zipping it shut, she glanced around the huge suite to make sure she hadn't missed anything and let out a huge sigh. Her eyes landed on the nightstand where she'd left Pride and Prejudice. She scooped it up and hugged it to her chest as she made her way out of the room and down the hall to the parlor room. The sound of Klaus's voice brought her to a stop just outside the doorway.

"Yes. Well, you've had your fun. Now let him go and come home," Klaus spoke in a low voice on his phone. "Avoid any more trouble, or you'll find yourself back in a box."

"Hey. No need to be nasty about it," Kol spoke on the other end of the call, shaking his head.

Taking a deep breath, Cassandra walked into the room. She blinked in surprise when her eyes landed on Elena sitting in one of the two chairs across from the couch where Klaus sat. Their eyes met briefly as Cassandra quietly walked over to the bookshelf to return the book in her arms.

"On the contrary I find nastiness to be essential whenever my siblings try to sabotage me. Listen closely, Kol. Stay away from the Gilbert boy. You understand?" Klaus growled softly. He turned his head towards Cassandra, noticing her presence for the first time, and flashed her a brief smile.

"Fine. I won't touch him. You have my word," Kol sighed. A moment passed before his lips curled into a devilish grin. "I cannot make the same promise when it comes to the lovely Cassandra, however."

Cassandra had placed the book back on the shelf and turned around to leave when her eyes met Klaus's. She hadn't intended to look his way, it just sort of happened. She could tell from the sudden scowl on his face that Kol had said something he didn't like. She had one guess what it was about, or rather who.

"Stay away from her, Kol," Klaus growled into the phone, confirming her suspicion.

"Tell me, brother, have you had the pleasure of laying eyes upon the delicious little swallow tattoo she has on her hip? Or did you screw things up with her before you had the chance?" Kol snickered.

As Cassandra stared at Klaus, she saw a glimmer of pain flash in his eyes, but it vanished almost as quickly as it had appeared.

"Listen to me carefully, Kol," Klaus rumbled in a low voice as he rose to his feet. "You will stay away from Cassandra, or I give you my word I will hunt you down and put you back in that box for another century. Do you understand?"

Cassandra started to slowly made her way towards the door when Klaus sped over and blocked her path, clearly wanting a word with her once he was done speaking to his younger brother. She scoffed softly, folding her arms across her chest as he growled something she couldn't quite make out into his phone before ending the call.

"So, you slept with my brother. Do you fancy him now?" Klaus narrowed his eyes at her.

"What? No," she shook her head. "No, I don't fancy him."

"Why then? To get back at me?"

"Oh, get over yourself already. Not that it's any of your business, but the other night I had a really strong drink and.."

"If he took advantage of you…" Klaus interrupted with a menacing growl.

"Oh for the love of…." Cassandra hissed in frustration. She closed her eyes and pinched her nose as she took a deep, calming breath before opening them again. The last thing she wanted to do was get into a shouting match with him so she figured she better elaborate before he lost it completely. "Kol did no such thing. I knew exactly what I was doing. At the time, I just didn't care if I should or shouldn't be allowing it to happen. I wasn't inebriated. I was living in the moment. That particular moment has long passed, and as I told Kol yesterday, it won't be happening again anytime soon, with him or anyone else. Can I go now, or were you going to hound me some more about who I get into bed with?"

"Fine," he mumbled softly, stepping out of her way so she could leave.

She quickly left the parlor and collected her things from the suite before making her way down the grand staircase and outside to her awaiting car. As she started to drive forward she glanced back at the mansion, and for a second she thought she saw Klaus staring at her from an upstairs window, but when she blinked and looked again, there was nothing there. She decided not to dwell on it as she drove home.

* * *

"You know, none of this would be an issue if you'd have just done your job properly," Klaus turned around smirking at Damon who was lying on a cot in the cellar at the Boarding House. He had been compelled to kill Jeremy by Klaus's brother Kol the previous night. To stop him, Stefan snapped his neck, brought him down to the cellar, and drained him of all his blood to weaken him. Now, Klaus was acting as babysitter, giving him small vials of blood every few hours so he wouldn't desiccate, while Stefan tried to charm Klaus's sister into giving up the silver dagger she currently had in her possession so Kol could be put down, freeing Damon from his compulsion. "I was perfectly willing to let you train Jeremy."

"No, you weren't," Damon repeatedly tossed a pebble in the air and caught it in his hand. "Are you kidding? You got there on day two. Do you know how hard it is to get these Xbox brains to focus?"

"And then when I turned a room full of barflies into vampires for him to slaughter, you let Kol kill them," Klaus paced back and forth.

"Your brother problem, not mine, buddy."

"And whose bright idea was it to saddle Jeremy with a conscience, hmm?"

Damon stopped tossing the pebble and glanced up at the original hybrid. "Well, we couldn't have him trying to stake Elena in her sleep now, could we?"

"Ah, yes, for the love of Elena," Klaus mused. "How is it that she manages to overlook every horrific thing you've ever done? Is it willful ignorance or perhaps something more pathological?"

Damon resumed his pebble tossing. "Some people are just more capable of forgiveness than others. Bet you score a negative five hundred in that realm."

"Come on, there must be a secret. It can't just be that sire bond. What is it? Compulsion? Manipulation?" Klaus raised his eyebrows curiously. When Damon remained silent, Klaus's expression softened, and his voice grew serious as he stopped moving. "What is it you say to her?"

Damon had been about to toss the pebble in his hand when Klaus's question made him freeze. Slowly, he lowered his arm and sat up, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "I think this has something to do with a certain blonde human. I think you killed Carol Lockwood. And I think you're worried that Cassandra's never going to forgive you."

"You've done worse," Klaus tightened his jaw as he slowly met Damon's eyes.

"Debatable," Damon shot back. "See, I don't mind being the bad guy, because somebody has to fill that role and get things done. You do bad things for no reason. You do them to be a dick."

"Debatable," Klaus shook his head slightly, though he knew deep down Damon had made a very valid point.

Damon shrugged at his answer. "If you're going to be bad, be bad with purpose, otherwise you're just not worth forgiving."

* * *

After spending the morning and afternoon at the Lockwood Mansion with Caroline and Tyler, Cassandra decided to grab dinner with her mom at The Mystic Grill so her sister and Tyler could spend some time just the two of them. He was still working through his grief, and she knew there were things he'd be more comfortable expressing to his girlfriend without said girlfriend's sister being around, especially considering that same sister had been romantically involved with his mother's killer.

Dinner with her mom was pleasant. They were able to do some catching up, though they were both careful to broach certain topics. Cassandra did admit to her mom the part she played in bringing Professor Shane to town, and was surprised to learn he was currently sitting in a cell jail cell. She had to feign shock when her mom told her they had evidence connecting Shane to the explosion at the Young Farm. Even though she was extremely curious about how this evidence came to light, she knew her mom wouldn't tell her anything because it was an ongoing investigation, so she didn't press for details.

Their dinner was far too short in Cassandra's opinion, but it couldn't be helped. Her mom had to return to the station. After saying their goodbyes, Cassandra watched as her mother drove away in her police cruiser. Not wanting to return to the Lockwood Mansion just yet, she decided to take a stroll down the square. Most of the shops were still open, so there were plenty of people strolling around with shopping bags. Her eyes landed on a mother who had knelt down to tie her young daughter's shoelace. The simple gesture brought a smile to her face. Not wanting to appear as though she was staring, she averted her gaze back to the path in front of her and found a familiar face walking towards her.

"Kol," she folded her arms as he stopped in front of her.

"Cassandra," he grinned as he removed the earbuds he had in his ears. "Lovely to see you again."

"Wish I could say the feeling was mutual, but it's not," she scoffed. "I should have known you'd tell your brother that we slept together the first chance you got."

"Well, if you had wanted it to be our little secret, you should have made that abundantly clear," he chuckled.

"Would it have made a difference?"

"No, I can't say that it would."

Cassandra rolled her eyes. "That's what I thought."

Kol tilted his head slightly, his lips parting in amusement. "Oh, come on darling. You can't be surprised.

"I'm not," she let out an exasperated sigh. "Disappointed is more accurate. I guess I was naive to think that...oh, it doesn't matter. The damage has been done. Anyway, I should get going. Have a nice night."

"Wait," he reached for her arm as she began to walk by him, stopping her before she was more than an arms length away. "I didn't mean to blindside you. Let me buy you an apology drink to make up for it."

"Thanks, but no thanks," she shook her head. "After what happened the last time I had a drink in your company, I'm not putting myself in a position where there could be a repeat of that."

"Suit yourself," he shrugged. He glanced down at the phone in his hand. An incoming call flashed back at him. "You know how get a hold of me if you change your mind. I've got to take this, but it was nice to see you again."

She nodded her head slowly. "I guess I'll see you around."

She watched as he slipped his earbuds back into his ears and walked off. With a sigh of relief, she continued on her way. She returned to Tyler's place a half an hour later and went straight into the kitchen and opened the freezer where she knew she'd find a tub of ice cream. She scooped some into a bowl and leaned back against the counter as she put a big spoonful into her mouth. A pleasurable sigh left her lips as the frozen treat left behind an icy sensation in her chest. She glanced up to see her sister and Tyler standing in the doorway.

"You got out the ice cream and didn't call us down for any?" He raised his eyebrows with a grin on his face.

"I figured you guys would hear me with your super duper vampire hearing," she grinned back. "And I was right."

Tyler quickly filled two more bowls for himself and Caroline so they could join her at the table.

"So how's mom?" Caroline asked after swallowing a spoonful of ice cream.

"She's fine. She arrested Shane," Cassandra replied. "She said they had evidence linking him to the farm explosion. Just don't ask me what that evidence is. I didn't ask, not that she would have told me if I had."

"Well, good," Caroline nodded. "He was responsible, so he should pay for what he did."

"Yeah," Cassandra agreed. She swallowed the last bit of ice cream and went over to the kitchen sink to rinse off her bowl and spoon before putting them in the dishwasher. She was drying off her hands when Caroline gave a loud gasp.

"Kol is dead," Caroline told them.

Cassandra spun around to face them. "Wait..what?"

"Kol is dead," Caroline repeated, wiggling her phone in the air. "Elena just texted me. Jeremy killed him with the white oak dagger."

"Oh...oh my god," Cassandra stared at them as the news slowly registered She slowly walked back to the table and sunk down into a chair. "I was just talking to him less than an hour ago. Why...why would they kill him?"

"Elena says he compelled Damon to kill Jeremy. Then he went after Jeremy, wanting to cut off his arms. They're waiting for Kol's sireline to die off so Jeremy's hunter's mark tattoo will be complete and they'll have the map to the cure," Caroline explained. "Oh, and Bonnie trapped Klaus in Jeremy and Elena's living room with a spell, so they're over at The Boarding House with Damon and Stefan."

"So this was all about that stupid cure? That figures," Cassandra grumbled as she pushed herself up onto her feet and walked out of the room in a huff.

"Cass! Wait!" Caroline called out after her. She turned to Tyler, stunned at her sister's outburst. "What just happened?"

Tyler reached out for Caroline's hand and gave it a small squeeze. "I'll go talk to her."

"Thanks,"Caroline sighed, squeezing his hand in return.

Leaving Caroline in the kitchen, Tyler sped after Cassandra and found her sitting on the back porch. He quietly sat down beside her, waiting a beat before speaking. "Did you care about him?"

"Who? Kol?" She stared out at the pitch black grounds. "No. Yes...ugh. I don't know."

"It's okay if you did. It doesn't make you a bad person."

"An hour ago I would have said no with confidence, but now that he's dead, I..I guess maybe on some level I started to care about him without realizing it. That's not the worst part, though."

"What's the worst part?"

Cassandra took a deep breath and turned to look at him. "The worst part is, despite what he did to you, and despite the fact that I know it's the last thing he deserves, there's a part of me that desperately wants to run over to the Gilbert house and comfort Klaus. How messed up is that?"

"It's not messed up," Tyler nudged her shoulder lightly with his own. "I mean, you are only human after all."

"Oh, that was a low blow, Lockwood," she shook her head, though she couldn't stop the smile that creeped up on her lips.

"Seriously, though. If there's one thing I know for certain about you Cass, it's that you have an incredibly huge heart. This proves it."

"Or it proves that I'm weak and pathetic."

"You are neither of those things, and you know it."

"I guess," Cassandra turned away with a shrug.

"I know," Tyler nudged her again. When she remained still, he nudged her again, and this time spotted the smile tugging at the corner of her lips. "I saw that! Come on, Cass."

"No! You saw nothing," She folded her arms and tried to keep a straight face. The problem was, the harder she tried not to smile, the more she wanted to. Eventually she couldn't stand it and finally threw her hands up in the air as her face broke out into the very grin she'd been trying to keep inside.

"See?" Tyler smiled at her. "Feel better?"

"Maybe a little," she nodded once.

He stood up and held out his hand. "Come on. Let's go back inside. I know where a bottle of Tequila is with your name all over it."

She threw her head back with a laugh as she slipped her hand into his and allowed him to pull her up to her feet. "Fine, but if I get drunk and wake up with a crazy hangover in the morning, one of you better give me some of your blood to get rid of it. I don't care who."

"Deal," he grinned at her as they turned around and headed back inside.


	26. How To Save A Life

**So I know a lot of you are upset that I stuck to canon and Kol die. It was something I didn't want to change. Don't worry guys, I promise you have not seen the last of him in this story, so stay with me and you'll be glad you did in the end. I wrestled with a major canon event in this next chapter because I had two different ways I could go about it and I would go back and forth for days trying to figure out which way was the best and would impact my story the most, and I feel really confident in the course of action I took. I'm anxious to see what you guys think. Thank you again for taking the time to read this and leave reviews. Short and sweet, long and ranty, I love and am grateful for each and every one! Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 26 - How To Save A Life**

Cassandra woke up the following morning with only a dull headache. She stopped by the bathroom and grabbed a couple of Tylenol from the medicine cabinet to take before making her way downstairs. She expected to find both her sister and Tyler up and was surprised to find only her sister seated at the kitchen table.

"Morning. Where's Tyler?" Cassandra asked as she walked over to get a mug out of the cupboard.

"Morning," Caroline glanced up and smiled at her sister. "He's…promise not to get mad and start freaking out on me?"

"Uh, yeah. I promise," Cassandra walked over to the counter where the coffee pot was and poured some of the steamy liquid into her mug.

"He went over to Jeremy and Elena's house," Caroline answered slowly.

Cassandra carried her mug over to the table at sat down in one of the empty chairs. "Oh. Gone to gloat has he?"

"I tried to talk him out of it, but he had his mind made up."

"Hey, it's fine. I'd probably have done the same thing if I were in his shoes. Actually…"

"You aren't going over there," Caroline told her.

Cassandra took a sip of her coffee and set the mug down before looking up at her sister, eyebrows raised. "I'm not?"

"Nope. I just finished jotting down a list of things I need to do today, errands I have to run, and you're going to help me," Caroline passed her the list.

"Oh joy," Cassandra sighed, picking up the paper and skimming over it. She knew what Caroline was doing. Her sister wanted to keep her busy so she wouldn't have the time to go over to the Gilbert House, let alone give it any thought.

"Oh, don't be like that. Come on, it'll be fun. I'll even buy you lunch," Caroline tried to entice her.

"I'm gonna hold you to that," Cassandra cracked a small smile.

"Yes!," Caroline squealed in excitement. "I promise I'll make the day fun. And, just to further show my appreciation, you sit there and enjoy your coffee while I make you breakfast."

"Aye aye captain," Cassandra giggled. As she sat back and watched her sister go to work making her breakfast, she couldn't help feeling a little excited about spending the day with Caroline, even if it was doing a bunch of boring tasks. She knew they needed this, to do something totally and completely normal for a change. She could go pay the imprisoned Klaus a visit and offer her condolences later.

-o-

They spent the entire day out and about in town shopping and tending to the other items on Caroline's list. They even surprised their mom at the police station with lunch. By the time they returned to Tyler's house, night had fallen. Cassandra began to climb out of Caroline's car when she realized her sister hadn't moved a muscle after shutting off the car.

"You okay, Care?" She leaned down and poked her head back inside the vehicle.

"Tyler's still over at Elena and Jeremy's," she answered bluntly. "I'm going to go get him to come home."

Cassandra blinked in surprise as she processed this bit of information. She made a snap decision and slid back into the car, firmly shutting the door once she was seated, and put her seatbelt back on. "I'm coming with you."

"Cass," Caroline began to protest.

"No more stalling, Caroline. We did everything on your list. You owe me. And you know it."

"Ugh! Fine," Caroline hissed and started the car back up. The short car ride to the Gilbert house was devoid of conversation. They silently climbed out of the car and around the house to the side door that led straight to the kitchen. Caroline opened the door and led the way inside.

"You're still here?" Caroline spoke out to Tyler who was pulling a glass out of one of the cupboards. "What are you doing?"

"Gloating,"He turned around and carried the glass he had in one hand and the bottle of liquor he held in the other over to the island in the middle of the kitchen and poured some of the brown liquid into the glass. He looked up as Cassandra shut the side door and frowned as he glanced back at Caroline. "What's she doing here?"

"I tried to keep her away, Tyler" Caroline sighed. Cassandra took a deep breath as she walked over to join Caroline and Tyler. She knew he wouldn't be happy to see her there, and she fully intended to tell him exactly how she felt about it, but before she could a soft voice called out from behind her.

"Hello, Cassandra," Klaus appeared in at the edge of the living room.

Cassandra turned and looked at him with sad eyes as she took a few steps towards him. "I..I'm sorry about your brother."

"Thank you," he slowly nodded his appreciation of her sentiment.

She cautiously allowed her gaze to fall over to the dining table where Kol's burnt body lay. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared at him. She still couldn't believe he was really gone. A loud scoff pulled her attention away from the dead original vampire. When she looked up she found Caroline scowling at her for being so civil to Klaus. She shook her head once before turning back to Tyler.

"Come home," Caroline begged her boyfriend. "Don't stoop to his level."

"He destroyed my life," Tyler shot back. He threw an icy stare at Cassandra before turning his attention to Klaus. "I plan on being present for every second of his misery until I can kill him myself."

Cassandra couldn't suppress the groan that rose in her throat as she listened to Tyler's taunt and watched him raise his glass towards the original hybrid before bringing it to his lips to take a drink from it. "Seriously, Tyler? Haven't you threatened to kill him and failed enough times to learn not to even try anymore?"

"You know what?" Caroline quickly jumped in, hoping to avoid an argument between Tyler and her sister. "Fine. You can gloat and multitask. This place is a disaster. Starting with a horrific burnt corpse."

Cassandra watched as Caroline walked over to one of the drawers below the kitchen counter and pulled out a jade green tablecloth. She walked back over to Kol's body and opened up the table cloth. As Tyler started to reach down for the other end of it, Cassandra rushed over and snatched it up before he could.

"Let me. Please," she pleaded with her eyes. He nodded and backed away. She moved so she was standing by Kol's head and Caroline was at his feet. Together, the two sisters carefully lowered the tablecloth onto Kol's body. Before covering his head, Cassandra knelt down and delicately ran her fingertips across his forehead. "Oh, Kol. I'm sorry this happened to you." She wanted to say more, but she didn't want to get choked up in front of everyone, so she didn't go on. With one last look, she lowered the tablecloth over his head and rose to her feet.

"Tyler's mother is dead, so is my brother," Klaus spoke softly, his eyes fixed on Tyler, Caroline, and Cassandra. "We're even. Call Bonnie and get her to let me out of here."

Caroline placed her hands on her hips and glared at him. "I will never, ever help you."

Klaus shifted his gaze onto Cassandra and pleaded with his eyes for her help.

"Don't look at me, Klaus," she shook her head. "Bonnie is Caroline's best friend. If anyone would be the one to ask her for help, it would be Caroline, and she declined to help you so you're stuck in there until Bonnie's spell wears off."

"How quickly you both forget the part where I saved Tyler from the misery of being a werewolf. Or the night your mother invited me into her home to save the life of her precious daughter," he paused and turned his gaze to Cassandra. "Your sister. You wouldn't be standing here if it weren't for me, or have you forgotten about how you almost died from the wounds the history teacher inflicted on you after my mother turned him into a vampire who hunts vampires?"

"Stop it!" Cassandra growled as she stepped towards him with a hand raised. "You do not get to act like you're the good guy. You killed Tyler's mother in cold blood. And let's not forget we're standing in the house where Elena's Aunt Jenna used to live, or did you think that your charm and all the time we spent together would make me forget that you killed her, too? God…I can't believe for a second, a tiny second, that I felt sorry for you, that I thought maybe, just maybe, one day I might be able to consider, consider forgiving you. You know what, no? I am not going to engage in this. Caroline was right. I should have stayed away. You are not even worth the calories I burn talking to you."

During her rant, Cassandra had failed to realize how close she had moved to the invisible barrier confining Klaus.. Enraged by her words, he used vampire speed and grabbed the nearby wooden floor lamp, snapping it off from it's base, and impaled Cassandra in the stomach with it. Tyler and Caroline screamed as Klaus pulled Cassandra over to his side of the barrier and bit into her neck, feeding from her for a second before letting her body fall to the floor.

He slowly turned around, grinning wickedly at them with a blood stained smile. "Now, that was definitely worth the calories."

Because of Klaus's supernatural speed, Cassandra had barely began to register what had just happened until she was lying on the floor with horrible pain in her gut from the protruding piece of wood that Klaus had stabbed her with, along with the searing pain in her neck from his bite. She moaned softly as her eyes fluttered open. She lifted her head slightly and stared at the lamp post sticking out of her for a second before letting her head fall back down to the floor.

"Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!" Caroline cried out as she dropped to her knees a few feet away from where Cassandra lay.

"C..Caroline?" Cassandra whispered and turned her head, searching for her sister.

Caroline's head snapped up at the sound of her sister's soft voice. "Cass! I'm right here! Try not to move, and whatever you do, don't pull that piece of wood out. You'll bleed out and die before we have a chance to heal you."

"Okay," Cassandra nodded her head slowly.

Tyler crouched down beside Caroline and put his hands on her shoulders. "Hey. Hey. Look at me. Look at me. I can fix this."

"How?" Caroline looked at him. "She needs vampire blood to heal her. He's not going to give her any."

"I know," Tyler sighed. He looked her straight in the eyes as he spoke again. "I'll fix it."

Caroline nodded and took a deep breath to compose herself as Tyler stood up and turned to face Klaus. "She'll die if you don't heal her."

"Okay," Klaus started to bring his wrist up to his mouth, but then he lowered it back down as his lips curled upward in a devious sneer. "Or here's a thought: Why don't you come over here and heal her yourself?"

"No, Tyler. Don't!" Cassandra's wide, frightened eyes gazed at him as she cried out in a weak voice. "He'll kill you the second you cross Bonnie's magical barrier."

Tyler tightened his jaw as his eyes flickered down to his helpless friend. "I know."

"Fine," Klaus sighed and brought his wrist back up his mouth and bit into it with his fangs. He licked his lips as he lowered his arm. "Beg me to save her life. Both of you."

"Is this what you want? To remind us that we're powerless against you?" Tyler took a few steps towards the living room barrier. "Fine. You win. We're nothing. Now, save her. Please."

"I'm sorry, mate. I didn't quite catch that," Klaus narrowed his eyes at Tyler.

"Please," Tyler begged again through gritted teeth.

Klaus moved his eyes from side to side, wanting to hear more. "Please..."

"Please save her life," Tyler repeated.

A small smile tugged at the Original Hybrid's lips. "See, now I think you're just telling me what I want to hear. I mean, you did call me pathetic earlier. And wouldn't it be more pathetic of me to help now, knowing that hours ago, you announced to kill me in a manner in which you're still debating because you want it to have a certain amount of flair? I'm just asking."

Tyler's eyes became red as they started to pool with tears. He shook his head, stealing a glance at both Cassandra and Caroline before looking back at Klaus. "I'll be your slave again. I'll do whatever you want. Just help her."

"No," Klaus growled softly.

Cassandra had heard enough. Despite the incredible pain she was in, she attempted to prop herself up with her elbows, but she lacked the energy to sustain her own weight on her arms, and the pain was intensified, so she remained flat on her back.

"You guys should go," she locked eyes with her sister and Tyler.

"But, Cass..." Caroline started to protest.

"I...I mean it. I love you both so, so much, and I'm sorry for not trusting you guys when you tried to convince me to stay away from Klaus. You were right," Cassandra paused to take a breath. "Look, I don't want either of you to watch me die, so please, go. Please."

She looked away as Caroline burst into tears and was ushered out by Tyler. Once they were out on the front porch, he consoled her for a minute before pulling away and lifting her head to look him.

"Hey," he ran his fingers through her blonde hair. "It's going to be okay. If anyone can convince Klaus to save her, it's your sister."

"You're certain?" Caroline sniffed. "Because if she can't, that's it. She'll die. She's already getting worse. I can hear her breathing. It's getting weaker by the minute. She's going to bleed to death!"

"I know," Tyler sighed. He gently pressed his forehead against hers. "Care, I'm so sorry. It's my fault she's in this mess."

Caroline brought a hand up to stroke his face and shook her head. "No, you didn't do any of this."

"I unsired the hybrids and turned them on Klaus. I should have just left it alone."

"You freed them, Tyler. Cass, she wanted them to be free, too. People put their faith in you because you're a leader. Don't forget that."

Tyler nodded his head slightly. "Then we'll just have to trust Cass and pray she can get through to Klaus. It's all up to her now."

Back inside, after Tyler and Caroline left the house, Klaus gazed down at Cassandra. "I'm sorry, love." She turned away, refusing to look at him. She whimpered as he carefully picked her up and laid her gently on the couch a few yards away. "You know, I can still save you...if you are willing to forgive my past indiscretions."

"It's' too late, now," she spoke in a soft voice as she turned her head towards him. "Maybe if you had healed me when Tyler first asked, or let him heal me, I would have been willing to, but not anymore."

"Then you'll die, and Tyler and Caroline will have learned their lesson the hard way," Klaus looked away, his voice full of sadness.

"How...how could you do this to them? To his mom? To my mom? To me?"

"I'm a thousand years old. Call it boredom."

"I don't believe you."

"Fine," he murmured softly. "Then maybe it's because I'm pure evil, and I can't help myself."

"No," Cassandra disagreed. She took another shaky breath before turning her head to look at him for the first time since he rammed the wooden lamp into her stomach. "It's because..you were hurt. My words hurt you, which means that there is a part of you that is human."

Klaus took a seat on the coffee table in front of the couch where she was laying and stared at her quizzically. "How could you possibly think that?"

"Because I've seen it. Your ability to act human...to show compassion...to care openly and deeply about someone other than yourself. Because...I've caught myself wishing that I could forget all of the horrible things that you've done."

Klaus furrowed his eyebrows. "But you can't. Can you?"

"I know that your temper gets the best of you sometimes...a lot of the time...but I also know...how much you care about me...that your feelings for me are real...and anyone capable of that..of love...is capable of being saved." A shiver raced through her body. "Cold. I'm so..cold."

Klaus took a deep breath as he looked away and swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. His eyes glistened with tears which he fought with all his might to keep from spilling out.

"You're delirious, and your body has gone into shock."

"Oh..." She nodded her head once. Her eyes fluttered shut and her breathing became labored. She was so tired. Each breath became harder and harder, taking more energy and effort with each passing second. She drifted into a dark unconsciousness as her chest started to shake with each shallow gasp for air.

"Cassandra?" Klaus whispered and waited to see if she answered. When her chest rose in a final attempt for breath, then fell still, panic started to flood through him. "Cassandra?!"

Unable to stand it any longer, he stood up and placed a hand on the back of her neck. He raised her up into a sitting position and sat down on the arm of the couch so he could lean her back against his chest. He quickly wrapped his fingers around the lamp post and pulled it out of her body. He tossed it on the floor and brought his wrist to his lips, biting into it., then pressed it against her mouth. At first nothing happened, making his panic grow even more. Then her lips latched onto his skin, and she started to suck. He let out a huge sigh of relief and gently began to stroke her head as she drank. Her eyes fluttered open after a few seconds, and she glanced up at him as she brought her hands up to hold onto his arm as she continued to drink. Once he was satisfied she'd ingested enough of his blood, he pulled his arm away.

"Thank you," she mumbled.

"You're welcome, love," he murmured, resting his chin against her head.

As the pain quickly diminished and her strength returned with each passing second, she became increasingly aware of his presence as she leaned against him. As grateful as she was for his healing her, she couldn't ignore the fact that it was he who had put her life in jeopardy in the first place.

"Cassandra," Klaus started to reach down for her hand. His voice pulled her out of her thoughts just as his fingertips grazed her skin.

She quickly yanked her hand away, shaking her head as she sat up and swung her legs over the side of the couch. "Don't. Don't do that. Whatever you're about to say, just don't. I don't want to hear it."

She quickly rose to her feet and rushed over the invisible barrier to the front door, leaving him seated on the arm of the couch. She didn't look back as she pulled the door open and went outside. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, filling up her lungs with the cool, night air. As she exhaled and opened her eyes, she looked around and smiled as her gaze landed on Tyler and Caroline sitting on the front porch swing.

"Caroline! Tyler!" She ran over to them. They immediately jumped to their feet and hugged her tightly.

"Thank god! I was so scared we were going to lose you!" Caroline cried out.

"How'd you get him to heal you?" Tyler asked once they'd finally let go of Cassandra.

"I don't really know. It's a little hazy. I was honest with him, that much I know," Cassandra shrugged. "I guess there's a heart in there...somewhere. Anyway, if it's all the same to you two, I'd really love go to home and burn this shirt, maybe take a long, hot bath."

Caroline nodded, and together the three of them headed back to Tyler's house. While Cassandra dug out her pajamas from her suitcase, Caroline disappeared upstairs to get the water running in the bathtub. She appeared in the hallway outside the bathroom a minute later and walked through the doorway past Caroline, murmuring a soft thank you. Caroline gave her arm a quick squeeze before leaving her alone. Cassandra shut the door and slowly peeled off her bloody shirt while the tub continued to fill. She tossed the shirt on the floor and stared at her reflection in the mirror, grateful to not have any scars from the horrific wound Klaus had inflicted upon her. She finished getting undressed and carefully climbed into the tub once it was filled. She slowly eased herself down into the steamy water and let out a big sigh as she leaned back and closed her eyes, pushing out all of the thoughts and memories from the crazy day while her muscles began to relax. Tomorrow was a new day, and with Klaus still locked up and her friends out there on the hunt for the cure, she was more determined than ever to help them find it.


	27. Until We Meet Again

**Chapter 27 - Until We Meet Again**

The following morning Cassandra came downstairs and found her sister and Tyler in the parlor room. Caroline gave her a wave pointed to her phone which was currently pressed against her ear.

"Tell me you're not serious?" She spoke into her phone.

"I wish I weren't," Elena signed on the other end of the call. "When we got back from looking for Jeremy, Shane and Bonnie were gone too. Shane needs Bonnie to cast a spell on Jeremy's tattoo in order to find the cure, and he managed to sneak them both out under our noses."

Cassandra tried to get her sister's attention to find out who she was talking to and what was going on, but Caroline waved her off.

"Well, where's Damon in all this?" Caroline wanted to know. Cassandra watched her sister's facial expression change from curiosity to worry, making her stomach start to sink. If something had happened to Damon, that was not a good sign.

"I am so sorry. I wish I was there to help," Caroline sighed softly.

"Well, maybe there's something you can do from home," Elena implied she had an idea.

Caroline twitched in eager anticipation. "Anything. Tell me."

Elena took a deep breath and began to explain what she, Stefan, and Rebekah needed. "So Shane's looking for the cure. We think we can find him. We have pictures of Jeremy's tattoo, but we just can't translate the map.

Realizing where Elena was taking this, Caroline slowly shifted her gaze onto Cassandra. "Unless you get the Hunter's Sword from Klaus."

"You mean if I get the sword from him," Cassandra grumbled. She didn't want to ask Klaus for any more favors, especially one as big as handing over that dreaded sword. "I'm the only one he'd even consider giving it to."

"He'll never give up the sword," Caroline heard Rebekah's voice in the background.

"Yeah, but if anyone's gonna get him to give it up, it's Caroline's sister, Cassandra," Stefan tried to reassure Rebekah, but she was insistent that Cassandra would fail.

"He will never give up the sword, not even for Cassandra. He's terrified we'll use the cure against him to make him mortal, and even if he wasn't, he wouldn't want any of us to derive a moment's worth of happiness from being human," Rebekah told them.

"Well, maybe he doesn't have to give it up," Stefan realized. "I mean, Klaus is stuck in Elena's house by Bonnie's spell. He can't go anywhere. There's only so many places you can hide a three-foot piece of metal."

Knowing what had to be done, Caroline jumped to action. "I'll find it, don't worry. Just email me photos of Jeremy's tattoo. I'll find the sword, and I'll call you back."

Cassandra stood with her hands on her hips as Caroline lowered her phone and tapped the screen to end the call. "So what do we need to do exactly?"

Caroline quickly gave her a rundown of what Elena had told her and how they were going to help her. "If you don't want any part of this, speak up now so we can leave you out of it."

"I want to help," Cassandra tried to be as convincing as she could. "The last time I saw the sword, he was showing it to Stefan. He had in a safe. I saw him take it out, but I never saw what happened afterwards. If it's not still in the safe it could be anywhere in that mansion."

"Well, what are we waiting for? Let's go," Tyler motioned toward the door. Caroline and Cassandra followed him outside and climbed into Cassandra's car. A few minutes later they pulled up to the huge mansion and quickly headed inside. They found the safe in Klaus's art room, but it was empty.

"Now what?" Cassandra groaned, realizing this wasn't going to be as quick as she'd hoped.

"Now we search this place from top to bottom. He's hidden it somewhere. We don't leave until we find it," Tyler growled with determination.

"Okay," Cassandra nodded. "Where should we look first?"

"Let's just start in the attic and work our way down," Tyler suggested.

Cassandra and Caroline agreed and followed him out of the parlor. They walked down a long hallway and stopped once they reached the end. Tyler pointed at a panel in the ceiling with a small handle attached. He jumped up and pulled it down, causing a wooden step ladder to slide down to the floor. He started to climb up it first, and the two sisters quickly followed. Once they were up in the attic, they found Tyler staring down at the floor and followed his gaze.

"Well, that was easy," Cassandra blinked, gazing down at the old weapon. Tyler reached down and carefully picked it up.

"Let's get out of here," he told them in a low voice.

They quickly climbed back down the ladder and into the hallway. Before they left, Tyler dug out an old blanket from one of the hall cupboards and carefully wrapped it around the sword. He clutched it in his arms as they left the mansion and climbed back into Cassandra's car. They made a quick stop at Tyler's house so Cassandra could pick up her laptop and Caroline could print the photos of Jeremy's tattoo that she received from Elena, then headed over to the Gilbert House to get to work on deciphering Jeremy's Hunter's Mark.

Cassandra took a deep breath and opened the front door, clutching her laptop bag to her side. She walked inside and glanced over her shoulder as Caroline and Tyler followed her in and shut the door behind them. She continued walking forward, her eyes flashing onto Klaus who was sitting on the coffee table in the living room, watching them.

"Well, if it isn't little orphan Lockwood. Come to show how laughably impotent you are against me?" He fought back a smile as Tyler walked over to him while Cassandra and Caroline made themselves comfortable on the couch positioned outside of the invisible barrier.

"I'm just trying to help my friends find the cure. Found this in your attic," Tyler slowly pulled the sword out of the folded blanket and held it up for Klaus to see.

"And you think finding the sword will bring you closer to the cure?" Klaus acted completely unfazed by the reveal of the hunter's sword.

"You tell me. I was playing with the handle on the ride over, and I found this," Tyler tiled the sword down and slowly began to unwrap the leather that was covering the handle. When he removed it, he revealed an intricate turning device.

Klaus slowly rose to his feet and began to walk towards Tyler. "And what do you think this is?"

"It's called a cryptex," Cassandra rose to her feet and walked over to join Tyler. "You turn the different sides to the different symbols to get the translation on the other side."

"And with the magic of the internet, Elena sent over these," Caroline waved a handful of printed pictures from where she sat on the couch. "Now all we have to do is cryptex away."

Cassandra walked back over and rejoined her sister. She quickly pulled out her laptop and propped it on her lap as she waited for it to boot up. "If you happened to want to help," she glanced over at Klaus. "We wouldn't stop you."

"Right, well," he glanced back at her, then turned to face Tyler again, a smirk on his face. "Might I suggest using the magic of the internet to purchase an Aramaic-to-English dictionary from your nearest retailer."

"What's Aramaic?" Tyler turned to Cassandra and Caroline, confused.

"It's a dead language," Cassandra sighed. She should have known this wasn't going to be as straightforward as they originally thought. "It hasn't been used since biblical times.

"Qetsiyah's native tongue, I'm guessing. You know, even if you had the best dictionary in the world, it could take days to translate," Klaus slowly turned around and walked over to the coffee table where he sat down. "Perhaps weeks. In bas so-teen-too ara-ma-eet."

Cassandra, Caroline, and Tyler shared a perplexed look. "What does that even mean?" Cassandra spoke up.

"'If only you spoke Aramaic'," Klaus smirked at them.

"Well that figures," Cassandra groaned as she turned away from him.

"You know what? We can do this," Caroline tried to be encouraging.

"Okay," Cassandra nodded as she opened a web browser window on her laptop. "Let's get to work."

A few hours later the coffee table was covered with index cards containing each symbol from Jeremy's tattoo and the corresponding translation of that symbol that the two sisters had been able to come up with written underneath them. They had been numbered and placed the order from which they began on Jeremy's arm, starting at the base of his wrist.

"Okay, this is it," Caroline stared down at the first four cards. "We've translated all the symbols on the tattoo."

"'Passage inside...requires a young senator, and a pretty flower." Ugh, okay that doesn't make any sense," Cassandra groaned, leaning back into the couch. Her eyes flickered onto Klaus who was fighting the urge to laugh. "What are you smirking at?"

He slowly stood up and walked over to the edge of the living room. He spoke in Aramaic, reciting the words they were trying to translate, then gave the proper translation. "'Requires a powerful witch and a hunter in full bloom.'"

"What are you doing?" Tyler stared from his spot on the other side of Caroline.

"I don't need to tell you my reasons," Klaus answered as he stood with his hands loosely clasped behind his back. "Cassandra, bring my sword over here."

Cassandra sighed and slowly stood up. He could have had any one of them bring his sword over, yet he specifically and purposefully singled her out as a way to get close to her. Desperate to finish translating the symbols, she swiftly walked over to the edge of the living room where Klaus stood and held the sword handle up for him to view, while Caroline repositioned the laptop so he'd be able to see the photos of Jeremy's tattoo.

"'Silas rests on the far side, the means of his destruction at hand.'" He paused and glanced over at the laptop screen to see the next set of symbols and turned back, meeting Cassandra's eyes. "Turn the cryptex to the right."

She twisted the handle once, revealing a new set of symbols in the designated slots.

"Stop," Klaus ordered, "The top of the hilt reveals a key to a nautical map. Turn it to the left."

Carefully, she pushed the very top piece and watched in awe as it slowly moved while the bottom portion remained in place.

"Now turn the other piece," Klaus murmured as. He stared intently at the sword.

Using her thumb she found the hidden edge and pushed it, revealing a center pointer that stopped in the middle of the other two pieces. She glanced back at Klaus, waiting for more instructions.

"Wait. There's something else," he murmured. He paused, then began to recite the final part of the code in Aramaic.

"What does it mean?" Cassandra asked. Klaus's lips curled into a mischievous smirk as he stared back at her. Not in the mood for his antics, Cassandra raised her voice. "Klaus, what does it mean?"

He raised his eyebrows slightly, but remained silent. With a growl of frustration, Cassandra lowered her arms and walked back over to sit next to Caroline on the couch. She grabbed her phone from the coffee table and decided to call Rebekah to give her what they had. She dialed the number and switched to speaker phone so Caroline and Tyler could be in on the call.

"Hello?" Rebekah answered after the second ring.

"Hey, it's Cassandra. We have the translation of the tattoo. We're emailing you pictures of the map and instructions right now," Cassandra told her as she watched her sister hit a few keys on her laptop, followed by a few mouse taps. "

"Got it. Thanks," Rebekah confirmed a few seconds later.

"Actually, it was me," Klaus called out from across the room as he paced back and forth.

Rebekah was taken aback. "Nik, you helped?"

"You sound so surprised, little sister," Klaus grinned.

"Shouldn't I be? I mean, you don't want me to be human. You don't want any of us to be human. Why would you help us find the cure?"

"Maybe I finally realized the longer I stand in the way of what you want, the longer you'll continue to hate me. Perhaps I want my sister to finally know happiness."

Rebekah wasn't buying it one bit. "Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me a hundred times…"

Klaus shook his head. "No more fooling. No more games. I hope you get to live and die, as you wish."

"So do I," Rebekah murmured.

"There is one more thing, Rebekah," Klaus came to a stop by the side of the living room doorway. "There is only one dose of the cure. You must find it first and take it. It's the only way you'll…"

Realizing Klaus had just spilled the last message from the cryptex and revealed the biggest and most vital piece of information, Cassandra, Caroline, and Tyler lunged forward to grab the phone and end the call as quickly as possible. Tyler was the one to get the phone first and hit the proper button before setting it back on the coffee table. They sat silently for a few long moments until the shock wore off. Tyler was the first to stand and head to the front door. Cassandra and Caroline were quick to hurry after him. He exhaled harshly, running his hands against his head as Cassandra quietly shut the front door.

"Every time I think I have him that son of a bitch gets the upper hand," Tyler hissed softly as Caroline approached him.

"We won't let him hurt you," Caroline whispered.

"No, we won't," Cassandra joined them.

"Stefan and Elena will bring back the cure," Caroline tried to reassure him.

"If they get to it first. And if they don't Klaus kills me. I need to get out of town to figure out how I'm gonna stay alive…" Tyler started to panic.

Caroline grabbed him by the shoulders. "Wait, hang on, okay? Gosh! Before you get all doomsday, just…"

"I'll talk to him," Cassandra interrupted in a quiet voice. Caroline and Tyler slowly turned to face her.

"He's got nothing to lose, Cass," Tyler looked at her grimly. "You left him. His brother's dead. His hybrids are gone. All he wants right now is blood. Starting with mine."

"I'm not going to say goodbye to you again and watch my sister's heart break into a thousand pieces like the last time you left, do you understand me?" Cassandra shook her head. "Let me fix this."

"Tyler," Caroline slowly stepped closer to him and placed her hands on the sides of his neck. "Let her try. Please."

Tyler was silent for a long moment. Then he slowly began to nod his head. Cassandra turned around and made her way back to the front door. She took a slow deep breath and let it out, then reached for the doorknob. She gave it a turn and pushed the door open. Once she was inside she closed it and walked towards the living room entryway. She found Klaus sitting in an easy chair that had been placed in front of a bookshelf. He stared back at her, stiff jawed, while his hands rested on the armrests.

"You can't kill Tyler," she met his eyes and spoke in a calm voice.

"Not only can I, I have to," he replied stiffly. "I have a reputation to uphold. Moreover, I want to."

"I'm not asking you to forgive him. All I'm asking is that you let him live, somewhere far from here," she pressed on.

Klaus slowly rose to his feet and walked towards her. He stopped once he was only a foot away from where she stood on the other side of the barrier. "So he gets to live a happy life after he turned all my hybrids against me, after he tried to kill me to find the cure so he could use it against me…"

"That was never going to happen!" She blurted out. "Stefan and Rebekah were never going to let the cure be used on you when they both want it so desperately for themselves."

"Yes, well, it doesn't erase everything Tyler's done."

"Please, Klaus. You know how much my sister and I love Tyler. You can see how scared we are to loose him. If you ever cared about me and my happiness at all, then show me your compassion. Show me the mercy that I would show you."

"Mercy…for Tyler?" Klaus whispered, giving her a hard look. For a moment, Cassandra thought he wasn't going to agree to what she was asking, but the next words out of his mouth took away any doubts she had. "Very well. Tell him to leave town immediately. And tell him to run and hide in a place I will never find him."

"Of course," Cassandra stammered. She turned around to leave, gasping in surprise over having just succeeded in convincing Klaus to not kill Tyler.

"Tell him that this is the mercy I extend for your sake…that I will give him a head start before I kill him," Klaus called out before she'd made it very far. Cassandra's face fell. Any hope she felt was instantly dashed. She slowly turned around and stared at Klaus in disbelief. She shook her head slightly and turned back around, quickly making her way back outside to where her and Tyler were waiting.

Breaking the news to them was the hardest thing Cassandra had ever done. Tears stung her eyes as she repeated what Klaus had said to her, that he was giving Tyler a head start. Stunned, Caroline walked over and sat down on the porch swing. Tyler quickly joined her and motioned for Cassandra to sit in the chair that was next to the swing and against the house.

"How many times are we gonna have to say goodbye?" Caroline's voice was soft and full of sadness.

"At least this time we have a minute to do it the right way," Tyler murmured. Caroline's face scrunched up as she burst into tears.

"There isn't a right way," she sobbed, shaking her head. Cassandra felt her own tears trickling down her cheeks.

"This isn't goodbye," Tyler looked over at Cassandra and reached for her hand, giving it a gentle squeeze before turning back to Caroline. Cassandra squeezed back and continued to hold onto him. "This is...until we find a way. We're immortal, remember?"

"But, I'm not," Cassandra whispered. "You guys might have eternity, but I'll eventually grow old and..."

"We will find a way," Tyler told her. "I'll find a way to see you again, Cass."

"You better," Cassandra tried to smile, but she found it too difficult.

"What if we don't?" Caroline slowly turned to face Tyler. "Tell me that you'll never think of me again. Tell me that you'll forget about me, tell me that you are gonna go on and live a full and happy life without me."

Tyler's eyes stung with tears as he swallowed the lump in his throat. "I will live a happy life without you. I will forget all about you. And I will never, ever think of you again," he looked her in the eyes as he repeated what she wanted him to say, though his eyes showed he meant the exact opposite.

Cassandra let go of Tyler's hand and covered her face as a sob bubbled in her chest. Tyler leaned forward and cupped the side of Caroline's face as he gently kissed her goodbye. Caroline grabbed his face and kissed back deeply. When she pulled away, he kept his eyes closed, savoring their final moment. Eventually, he lifted his head and opened his eyes to look at her again.

"Until we find a way?" Caroline gazed at him.

He slowly nodded his head and leaned in, gently kissing her forehead. He rose to his feet and pulled Cassandra up onto hers before engulfing her in a tight hug. She wrapped her arms tightly around his neck.

"Look after your sister for me, okay? She's gonna need you to lean on," he whispered against her hair.

"I..I will," Cassandra moved her head up and down. She felt him lightly kiss her temple and knew it was time. Reluctantly, she let go of him and dropped her arms to her sides. As he began to trudge away, she quickly moved over to the spot on the bench next to Caroline and pulled her into her arms. Caroline leaned her head on Cassandra's shoulder and cried, freely and openly. Cassandra leaned her head against her sister's and cried with her.

She lost track of how long they sat there. Eventually, their tears stopped, but the sadness and emptiness they both felt in their hearts at Tyler's absence left a heaviness inside them. She couldn't begin to fathom how much more intense this was for her vampire sister, knowing what she knew about vampires and their magnified feelings. She searched her mind for something to say to her sister, but before she could come up with anything, the front door opened. She stared blankly as Klaus walked out, letting the door shut behind him with another loud click, and took a few steps towards the bench where she and Caroline were sitting.

"How did you get out?" Cassandra murmured, wide eyed.

"I fear something awful as befallen your sister's friend Bonnie," was his answer. As he continued walking towards her, Cassandra quickly stood up and moved in front of Caroline, her body rigid and tense with fear. "Don't worry, love. You know I'd never hurt you."

"You've done enough," she muttered in a low voice.

"I've done more than enough," he countered as he came to a stop a foot away from her. "I've shown kindness, forgiveness, pity...because of you, Cassandra. It was all for you."

Cassandra stared at him, the ability to speak having momentarily left her. He waited, and when she remained silent, his disappointment showed in his eyes. He began to nod his head, accepting her silence, and gave the smallest scoff before turning on his heels. Cassandra watched as he marched away from the house, clearly put off. What was she supposed to say? Thank you? She honestly had no clue what to say or what to think. She stepped to the side and eyed Caroline who had the same perplexed look on her own face.

When they were sure Klaus was long gone, Caroline rose to her feet. Together, the two sisters silently climbed into Cassandra's car and drove to Tyler's mansion to pick up their things. Cassandra offered to get Caroline's stuff so she wouldn't have to go inside.

"It's fine, Cass," Caroline quickly got out of the car. "Let's just hurry up and get this over with."

"Okay," Cassandra nodded, following her to the front door. It didn't take her long to shove everything into her suitcase and before long she was towing her suitcase down the stairs where her sister stood waiting. They loaded their belongings into the trunk of Cassandra's car and headed home.

As she walked into her room and set her suitcase down on the floor next to her bed, she couldn't deny the strange feeling she had being back home after being away for so long. Her eyes casually wandered around, taking in the familiar walls and furniture, and landed on her desk in the corner where a paper with curled ends lay. She walked over and stared down at the drawing Klaus had given her on the night of the ball his mother had thrown, the memory of that night flooding through her mind. In a haste, she grabbed the paper and tossed it into the small trash can placed next to her desk and began to walk back towards her suitcase. She'd only taken a few steps when she raced back over and pulled the drawing out of the trash with a sigh. She quickly placed it back on her desk and walked out of the room to track down Caroline to see if she wanted to have a sleepover that night instead of being alone.

* * *

 **So Cassandra tried to throw the drawing away and ended up being unable to go through with it. I'd say that's pretty telling, wouldn't you? Anyway, thank you guys again for the continued love and feedback. I know most of you have been wondering and asking about who is going to end up pregnant (because someone has to be Hope's mama) and I can tell you that you will finally know for certain who that person will be two chapters from now. I'm really excited to finally have it out there because I've been wanting to tell you guys for so long, but I wanted to keep you all guessing for as long as possible. Believe me, it has not been easy. Alright, that's all I've got to say for now. Thanks again for stopping by to read! You guys are the best!  
**


	28. A Vampire Breakdown

**One chapter to go until the big one you've all been waiting for. In the mean time, there's this one. It's nice and long, but it's also another sad one. Wasn't my favorite one to write because there's no Klaus in it. His name comes up a few times, but that's it. I am happy with how it came out, none the less. Thanks as always for reading and reviewing! I can't believe I'm well over 200 reviews now. I'm so, so grateful to each and every one of you for it. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 28 - A Vampire Breakdown**

"Thanks again for coming with me to clean up the mess from yesterday," Caroline pushed the front door of the Gilbert house and led the way inside the following morning. It was clear she was on a mission, and Cassandra wanted to do whatever she could to help out.

"Of course," a small smile lingered on Cassandra's lips. "Not like I had anything else planned anyway."

"Right. Well, let's get to...oh. Klaus must have came back for Kol's body after we left," Caroline acknowledged the spot where the original vampire's burned remains once were.

"What?"Cassandra's eyes trailed over to the darkened spot. "Oh. Yeah, I guess he did." She was not looking forward to cleaning the leftover ash off the floor.

"One less thing to worry about then. Okay, if you don't mind picking up the broken pieces of wood and glass scattered around the house, I'll work on getting this hideous spot out," Caroline suggested.

Cassandra nodded and grabbed the kitchen trash can before wandering around the house picking up the remnants of Jeremy and Elena's scuffle with Kol. When she was done with that, she tidied up the kitchen.

"I'm glad we're doing this for Elena and Jeremy," Cassandra put away the glass tumblers she'd just finished washing and drying. She turned around to face Caroline who was on her hands and knees scrubbing the charred spot with a vengeance.

"This isn't coming out as easily as I hoped it would," she leaned back with a sigh.

"Did you put your super vampire elbow grease into it?" Cassandra asked with a grin. Caroline stared back at her with a 'what-do-you-think' expression on her face. "Right. Of course you did."

"There should be a stronger cleaner under the sink. Can you check?" Caroline asked. Cassandra turned around and walked over to check. She came back ten seconds later and handed the bottle of cleaner to her sister. "Thanks."

Cassandra watched as she sprayed the cleaner onto the burn mark and dunked the brush she'd been using into the bucket beside her before returning to scrubbing again. A couple of minutes had passed when the front door began to open and Elena walked in.

"Hey, you're home. I was trying to clean the burn mark where Kol..." Caroline rose to her feet and walked through the living room doorway as Stefan entered the house, trailing off as her eyes landed on Jeremy's limp body cradled in his arms. "I couldn't get the spot out."

Cassandra moved so she was standing next to Caroline and followed her gaze over to Stefan. Her eyes widened in horror. He shook his head once, letting them know with his eyes that Jeremy was gone.

"Come on, let's get him upstairs," Elena motioned for Stefan to follow her.

"Oh my god," Cassandra whispered once they were out of earshot. "How is Elena not a basket case right now? If I were in her shoes, and it had been you, I...I would be an inconsolable mess."

"I have no idea," Caroline shook her head. She went to fetch the bucket in the living room and carried it over to the kitchen sink to empty it. Cassandra took a seat in one of the chairs surrounding the kitchen table as Stefan came back down the stairs. Caroline turned around to face him after emptying the bucket of soapy water in the sink. "How long has she been like that?"

"Ever since we found his body. She hasn't said anything except that she's waiting for him to wake up," Stefan picked up an apple that was resting on the counter and placed it in the nearby basket of fruit.

"But he's not going to wake up. She knows that, right?" Cassandra stared at them as she tried to understand Elena's behavior.

Stefan held a finger up to his mouth, signaling for them to be quiet for a moment. He walked over to Caroline. She quickly moved out of the way as he reached behind her for the faucet and turned it on. "Look, deep down, I think she has to, but we're talking about Elena here. She feels grief more powerfully than anyone else. I think her denial is the one thing protecting her from letting it all in."

"She can't stay like that forever," Caroline murmured quietly.

"I know," Stefan nodded. "But I don't want to be the one to break her out of it, not until we know that Bonnie is safe, not until we get Damon over here to, you know..."

"Use the sire bond to convince her that everything is okay?" Cassandra stood up and walked over to join them in their quiet conversation. "This just might be the one time I'm one hundred percent okay with someone's free will being manipulated a little bit."

Stefan and Caroline nodded as Elena walked into the kitchen. "I'm not in denial," she paused, waiting until Stefan turned off the water faucet to continue. "I know that he was supernatural, but did you see? His tattoo is gone. The tattoo had the spell that opened Silas' chamber. Maybe it being gone means that he's fulfilled his supernatural destiny. Maybe he's back to normal. It's possible, right?"

"Elena..." Caroline began to speak in a soft, gentle voice.

"It's possible, Caroline. There's a chance. It may be miniscule, but it's hope, and I'm gonna hold onto that hope with everything I've got because there's no way that.." Elena's voice cut off abruptly as she realized what she was about to say. She took a beat to regain her composure. "There's absolutely no way that my brother is dead. I'm not in denial."

She walked out of the room as Cassandra, Caroline, and Stefan shared a look, believing the exact opposite of what Elena was saying. They knew better than to try to reason with her, though. They weren't going to take her hope away. Not yet, anyway.

Caroline quietly excused herself and went outside to call Tyler, leaving Cassandra and Stefan alone in the kitchen. Cassandra leaned against the counter while Stefan made a pot of coffee. She took a deep breath as the tantalizing scent floated through the air. He handed her a full, steaming cup when it was done, and filled up two more for himself and Caroline. She took a careful sip and followed him out to the front porch where Caroline was. She put her phone into her back pocket as they approached her.

"Do you know where he is?" Stefan handed her one of the mugs he was holding.

"As far away from Klaus as he can get," Caroline took it and held it in both of her hands.

"Klaus said he wouldn't stop until he found him," Cassandra bit her lip, clearly troubled by this.

"Well, Katherine's been running from Klaus for five hundred years. It's not easy, but it's possible. It's probably why she stole the cure. She wants to bargain for her freedom," Stefan tilted his head slightly to the side as he explained the inner workings of his former lover.

"I just can't believe after all that, the cure is just...gone," Caroline shook her head.

Stefan raised his eyebrows, moving his head up and down. "Yeah. I mean, talk about denial. In my head, I was thinking there was no way Elena was gonna stay a vampire forever. And now without any family..."

"Well, we can't think about that right now. We need to make plans, lists. We need a funeral or a cover story, or a funeral and a cover story," Caroline jumped right into the 'get things done' part of her personality. She turned to Cassandra. "One of us should go tell mom. I guess she'll know what to do."

"We should get Matt over here," Stefan suggested.

"You're right," Caroline agreed. "I will do that. I will call Matt. Cass, you..."

"I'll go tell mom what's going on," Cassandra stepped up. "Like you said, she'll know what to do as far as what to tell the town, that sort of thing."

"Good, okay. Then, I will make a list or a casserole or...I don't know...whatever people are supposed to do or make in these situations," Caroline went on. She turned around and set her mug down on a nearby table and walked back over to Cassandra and Stefan. In an instant, her face changed, and her eyes widened. Cassandra stared at her curiously. "What's that smell?"

Cassandra sniffed the air and turned toward the front door at the same time as Stefan. The scent was faint, but not completely unnoticeable. It was a sickly sweet, putrid odor.

"Oh my god," she gasped.

"It's his body," Stefan spoke slowly as Cassandra and Caroline stared in horror. "He's starting to decompose. Tell your mom to get Dr. Fell over here."

Cassandra nodded and quickly slipped inside to put her mug in the kitchen and retrieve her purse. She reappeared a couple of minutes later and dug her keys out as she headed down the porch steps to her car. She felt like she was in a bad dream as she drove towards the police station. She arrived in a matter of minutes and pulled into the first parking spot she came to.

When she opened the door and walked inside, the officer at the front desk instantly recognized her and allowed her to head over to the door leading to her mom's office. She took a deep breath and tapped it lightly with her knuckles as she pushed it open.

Elizabeth was seated at her desk in front of a file and lifted her head at the sound of the knocking. She smiled at the presence of her oldest daughter in the doorway. "Hey sweetheart. This is an unexpected surprise."

"Hey mom," Cassandra mumbled softly as she came in and quietly closed the door behind her so they could talk in private.

"Uh oh," Elizabeth swiveled around in her chair to face her daughter, instantly recognizing something was wrong from the tone in Cassandra's voice. "What happened?"

It uh..." Cassandra paused to swallow the lump in her throat. "It's Jeremy. He...He's..."

She couldn't get the words out, but it didn't matter. As her eyes began to burn with tears, Elizabeth stood up and engulfed her in a tight hug. Cassandra wrapped her arms tightly around her mom's neck and let the tears trickle down her cheeks.

"Kat..Katherine killed him on the island," she mumbled softly. "They got back this morning. Elena is...completely in denial. She thinks his ring will bring him back, but it won't. Not this time. He was supernatural when he died. The ring..."

"Only works on humans. I remember," Elizabeth nodded with a sad sigh. "It'll hit Elena eventually, and she's going to need all of you for support when it does."

"I know. Of course we'll be there for her. Will you be able to come up with something to tell the town?"

"Don't worry, sweetie. I'll take care of it."

"Can you also give Dr. Fell a call and have her come to Elena's house to tend to Jeremy's remains?" Cassandra stared at her mom with hopeful eyes.

"Of course. Consider it done," Elizabeth gave Cassandra's shoulders a small squeeze.

Cassandra let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, mom."

-o-

By the time Cassandra and Caroline returned to Elena's house, night had fallen. As they climbed out of Cassandra's car, Caroline had called Tyler and was leaving him a voicemail. As she listened to her sister's desperate pleas for Tyler to call back she could also sense of hopefulness in her voice. Stefan had called them to let them know Damon and Bonnie were due back within the hour, and that Bonnie claimed to have a way to bring Jeremy back. For Elena's sake, Cassandra prayed Bonnie was able to do this.

A pair of headlights caught the attention of Caroline and Cassandra as neared the house. The sight of Damon's convertible pulling up behind Cassandra's car had them sighing in relief.

"Thank god," Caroline walked toward the car as Bonnie climbed out of the passenger seat. She ran straight over to Caroline and gave her a hug. "We were so, so worried."

"I'm okay," Bonnie whispered.

"Could you get Stefan out here?" Damon made his way around the car over to them.

"They said Bonnie knows what to do," Cassandra told him.

"Cassandra, I need to talk to my brother," Damon gave her a hard stare. It made her stomach sink. She glanced over at Caroline who seemed to share her sentiment, then turned back to Damon.

"What's wrong?" The instant concern could be seen in her eyes.

"Just send Stefan out here. Please," he repeated.

Cassandra nodded and turned to head inside with Bonnie and Caroline. She made a beeline for Stefan and quickly whispered to him that Damon needed to talk to him and was waiting out front. He nodded and disappeared out the front door. Everyone else in the house headed to congregate around the kitchen table so Bonnie could explain her plan to help Jeremy.

"It's called an Expression Triangle," Bonnie told them. "I need to complete it for Silas."

The catch was that to complete it she had to commit another massacre. Cassandra couldn't even fathom how Bonnie could even consider doing something that involved taking the life of so many people.

"What?" Matt stared blankly at her. "Bonnie, you can't kill twelve people!"

"I know it sounds crazy, but it's the only way I can get enough power," Bonnie remained straight faced and completely serious.

"To do what?" Caroline wanted to know.

Bonnie went on to tell them everything Shane had told her about Silas and Qetsiyah and the creation of The Other Side. "Once the veil is dropped, the other side doesn't exist anymore. There's nothing separating us. We're all just..one."

"Wait a minute, let me get this straight," Cassandra put a hand up as she shook her head from side to side. "You kill twelve more people and cast some spell to lower the veil, and suddenly all the supernatural beings on this 'Other Side' are back with us, living and breathing again? Do you have any idea now insane that sounds? Or how much danger that puts those of us from Founding families in? I mean, think about it. Our ancestors killed vampires, and if they come back, they're going to want revenge, and who do you suppose they're going to take it out on, hmm? I'll tell you. Me. My mom. Caroline. Elena. Dr. Fell. Anyone that's from those families, that's who. You do this Bonnie, and you're sentencing us to death!"

"Bonnie, you are talking like a crazy person," Caroline stared wide eyed at her best friend. "You are not killing twelve people, and you sure as hell can't invite every monster who has ever died back into this world."

"Caroline, I think she knows that," Matt tried to keep her calm.

"No, I can do it," Bonnie was insistent. "I have the power. I can bring everyone back-Jeremy, Alaric, Vicki."

"Bonnie, stop it!" Caroline snapped. "You can't just say these things."

The bickering in the kitchen continued to grow until the phone rang out, silencing everyone.

"I'll get it," Elena murmured softly.

"Hey, look. I'll get it," Matt volunteered and began to push himself out of his chair.

"I said I'll get it," she stood up and walked over to the side of the kitchen to answer the phone. She picked it up off of the counter and tapped the answer button before placing it against her ear. "Hello?"

"Elena? It..it's April. Young. Um, I was looking for Jeremy," April spoke on the other end of the line. "His cell phone keeps going straight to voicemail."

"Jeremy can't come to the phone right now. He's not..." She paused. "I'm sorry. He's dead." She lowered the phone and ended the call before walking past Stefan and Damon who had finally come inside and out of the kitchen. Back at the table, all eyes were on Bonnie and her insane notion to get rid of The Other Side. Damon shared a glance with Stefan and quickly headed upstairs to check on Elena.

"Hey, Matt. Why don't you take Bonnie home. It's been a long day," Stefan suggested a moment later. Matt and Bonnie nodded and quickly got up to leave the house.

"Tell me we aren't going to let Bonnie actually go through with that," Cassandra stared at her sister and Stefan.

"We aren't, don't worry," Stefan did his best to reassure her. He turned around at the sound of approaching footsteps ascending down the stairs and found Elena rushing towards him, her sniffles giving away how close to tear she had grown.

"Where's Bonnie?" She asked Stefan as she approached him.

"We told Matt to take her home. We thought it'd be best," Stefan's voice was soft and calm.

"Ok. Guess we're gonna have to do this the old fashioned way," Elena thought to herself. She turned around as Damon reached the bottom of the stairs carrying Jeremy's body wrapped in a blanket. "Put his body on the couch."

"Do what?" Cassandra hissed softly to her sister.

"I have no idea," Caroline shrugged. She turned to toward her best friend. "Elena?" Elena was frantically opening and closing cupboard doors in the kitchen, searching for something. "Elena, you need help finding something?".

"Got it," Elena found what she was searching for under the kitchen sink. She pulled out a bottle of lighter fluid and began squirting it all over the kitchen counter.

"What are you doing?" Stefan stared at her, completely baffled by her actions. Cassandra and Caroline quickly rose to their feet and inched closer to Stefan while Elena continued squirting the fluid everywhere.

"We need a cover story right?" She glanced up at the trio watching her. "You think I didn't hear you guys talking earlier? Well, what are we gonna say? Animal attack, tumbled down the stairs? No. We burn the house down with him inside of it."

"Elena, stop it," Stefan raised his voice as Elena moved on to the living room and began doucing the floor.

"Why? Because you want me to not be in denial? You want me to face the truth? This is the truth, Stefan. I don't want to live here anymore," she turned and held the bottle of fluid over a bunch of Jeremy's drawings spread out on the coffee table. "I don't want these sketches. I don't want this Xbox."

Cassandra flinched as Elena kicked the game console hard, breaking it. Feeling extremely wary being the only human in the room, she carefully looped her arm around Caroline's in case they needed to make a vampire speed getaway. Caroline met her eyes and gave the tiniest nod to let her know they were on the same page. They continued to watch in utter dismay as Elena picked up an old bottle of bourbon belonging to Alaric and began pouring it onto the floor while her ranting continued. When she poured more of the liquor onto Jeremy's body and removed his magical ring from the finger he wore it on before tossing it to Damon, Caroline could no longer remain silent.

"Elena, stop it. You're scaring us!" Caroline yelled as she held Cassandra's arm tightly with her own.

Elena grabbed a picture frame from on top of the fireplace mantle and turned around to face her friend, yelling back with a vengeance. "What else are we supposed to do with the body, Caroline? I mean, there's no room in the Gilbert family plot." She threw the frame onto the floor. "Jenna and..and John took the last spots." She tossed the empty bourbon bottle onto the floor, shattering it, then grabbed a match from the fireplace mantle and lit it.

"No, no. Elena. Stop," Stefan stepped towards her as she held up the lit match.

"There's nothing here for me anymore, Stefan. Every inch of this house is filled with memories of the people that I love that have died—my mom, my dad, Jeremy, and Jenna and Alaric, John, even John. I mean, they're all dead. Everyone is dead. So what am I supposed to...how am I gonna...I can't even...There's nothing left for me.. Ahh!" The match she'd been holding began to burn her fingertips. She shook her hand and dropped the match. Before it could hit the ground, Damon whooshed forward and caught it in his hand.

"Elena, I need you to calm down," he spoke calmly to her as she sobbed and fell to her knees, overwhelmed by grief. Cassandra buried her face against Caroline's shoulder and fought back her own tears. It tore her up inside to see Elena so broken and lost. She knew if she felt that way, it had to be even worse for her sister who was one of Elena's closest friends.

"Damon...help her," Stefan murmured to his brother, implying that he use the sire bond.

Damon knelt down and pulled Elena into his arms, holding her as she sobbed uncontrollably. "I can help you. I want you to let me help you." He held her face in his hands as she leaned back and looked at him. "I can help you."

"How?" Elena murmured as Damon stroked her cheek.

"Turn it off," he told her.

"What?" Stefan gasped sharply, narrowing his eyes. "No, no."

Damon held up a hand to silence his brother as he continued to speak to Elena. "Just turn it off, and everything will go away. That's what you have to do. It's what I want you to do. Just turn it off."

Cassandra, Caroline, and Stefan watched in horror as Elena's face went completely blank and devoid of all emotion. She was a statue, remaining perfectly still on her knees as she adjusted to her new emotionless state.

Before she could say anything, Cassandra blinked and found herself standing in front of her car. She glanced around and found Caroline opening the driver's side door while motioning for her to get it on the other side. She nodded and slid into the passenger seat.

"There's no telling what she would have done had she zeroed in on you in there, what with her humanity switch off now," Caroline explained as she started up the car. "And with you practically being a hand delivered meal on a silver platter, especially if 'No-humanity Elena' is anything like Stefan was when he flipped his switch."

"Oh god," Cassandra shuddered in her seat. "Don't remind me of that."

"I'm sorry," Caroline sighed. "I just...ugh, I wish Tyler were here."

"I know," Cassandra reached over and gave her sister's hand a gentle squeeze. "Me too."

The remainder of the drive back to the house was silent. Once they were inside, they both headed to their separate rooms. Cassandra sat down on her bed as the events of the day played over and over in her head. Jeremy was gone. Elena had flipped her humanity switch and burned her family's house to the ground. She couldn't fathom doing something so extreme, but then she didn't know what it felt like to feel absolutely nothing. She sincerely hoped she never would.

Her eyes began to wander around her room, and before long they landed on the drawing from Klaus where it lay on her desk. For the briefest of moments, she weighed the idea of calling him and even went so far as to pick up her phone and pull his name up on the screen, but she talked herself out of it before tapping his name to dial his number. With a loud sigh, she tossed her phone back onto her bed and pushed herself up onto her feet. She decided what she needed was a long, hot shower. She gathered her pajamas and a towel before heading down the hall to the bathroom. She came to a stop outside Caroline's room where she could hear her sister's soft voice leaving another message for Tyler.

"Just call me when you get this, okay? I need you, and there's no way that yesterday was the last time that I'm ever going to see you or talk to you. It can't be. So just...call me, Tyler. Please," Caroline pleaded.

Cassandra heard a soft thud as Caroline placed her phone on her nightstand and knew she'd finished leaving her message for Tyler. Figuring her sister wanted to be alone, Cassandra continued walking the rest of the way to the bathroom without stopping to poke her head in Caroline's room. She turned on the water and began to undress while it heated up, racking her brain for anything else she might say to Klaus to get him to let go of his vendetta against Tyler so that he could return home to her and her sister. She quickly realized that she had already said all she could while he was trapped in Elena's living room, short of agreeing to be with him again if it meant Tyler was safe. She knew it was out of the question, that it was something Tyler and Caroline would never ask of her no matter whose life was on the line. No, the only thing she could do was what Tyler had asked of her—to be there for her sister. And that is exactly what she would do.


	29. Can't Get You Out Of My Head

**Here it is! The big chapter you've all been anxiously waiting for! By the time you finish reading it you will finally know who the mother of Klaus's child is going to be. With that being said, I'll leave you guys to read it and catch you with a second author's note at the end. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 29 - Can't Get You Out of My Head**

Beginning of April, 2011

In the weeks that followed after Elena switched off her humanity, Cassandra and Caroline kept a low profile as life went on. They both fell back into a normal routine, especially Caroline who had school to focus on. That particular afternoon, Cassandra had decided to surprise her mom at the station with lunch. She and Caroline had been trying to spend more time with her, but it wasn't always easy given her busy work schedule.

On her way to the station she stopped by the Mystic Grill to pick up the order she had called in. As she was walking up to the entrance, her eyes drifted over to the outside tables and landed on a couple sitting at the very table she remembered being at months ago eating a late breakfast when she had been surprised by Klaus who ended up joining her. The girl had her hand resting on top of a book while the guy was leaning forward, listening intently to whatever the girl was saying. She caught herself smiling and quickly shook it off. The last thing she wanted to do was reminisce about her time spent with Klaus.

After a pleasant lunch with her mom, Cassandra decided to visit the downtown bookstore. Rather than drive the few blocks to it, she decided it was too beautiful an afternoon to pass up walking. Clutching her purse to her side, she took a deep breath and slowly let it out as she enjoyed the warmth of the sun against her skin. Her sunglasses covered eyes casually scrolled over the different shop windows as she passed by them, until one made her stop in her tracks. It was the window where she spotted the blue dress she ended up wearing to the Miss Mystic Pageant. The memory of that day and the night that followed instantly came barreling back to her. With a breathy growl, she squashed them back down as best she could before they were able to consume her completely, and continued on her way.

While she was in the bookstore, a sense of peace washed over her while she browsed around. Books always had that kind of effect on her. The store itself wasn't very big, so it didn't take her long to glance over every shelf of interest. She was disappointed in the current selection of books in stock and ultimately left empty handed.

Seconds after leaving the bookstore, her spirits were lifted when her phone notified her that she had received an unexpected email from her old college mentor, Elliot Baurson.

 _Hello Cassandra,_

 _I hope you're doing well. I wanted to tell you about a job opportunity that I recently heard about from an old friend of mine. His name is Gary Stanton. He was in town visiting relatives and we decided to get together to catch up. He works as an editor for The New Orleans Gazette down in Louisiana. Over dinner he told me they were looking to hire a small columnist writer after having to let someone go. I instantly thought of you and gave him a few samples of your writing to view. He was very impressed and would very much like to meet with you, if you are interested. I know it's not as close as you'd prefer, but it's a chance to get your foot in the door. I'll leave you his contact information so you can end him your resume if you choose to do so. I've also attached a reference letter for you to use as well._

 _Good luck!_

 _Eli_

Cassandra quickly punched in a thank you email and sent it back to him. Louisiana may not have been her first or second, or even third choice when it came to ideal locations she wanted to be working in, but she wasn't going to let this opportunity pass her by. Eager to get home and give her resume a once over before sending it off to Gary Stanton, she slipped her phone into her purse and began to head back down the street towards her car at a brisk pace.

She'd barely taken two steps when she was forced to come to a complete stop and fumbled backwards on her feet as a man walked by with a huge thirty two inch by forty inch parcel wrapped in brown paper. She followed his movement with her eyes as he went inside an open door of a store with a huge _Gallery Opening Soon_ sign on the store window. She could see a few smaller paintings that had been placed around the sign and stared at them in disbelief. The style of those pieces was all too similar to Klaus's artistic technique. Irritated that he had somehow found his way back into her mind again, she hissed softly under her breath and continued on her way back to her car.

Once Cassandra got home she was still feeling agitated, so she decided to change and go for a run to release some more of the tension she was feeling inside before tackling her resume. In no time at all, she was back outside, running through the neighborhood with earbuds in her ears and music playing from her phone. Twenty minutes into her run she came to a stop an intersection to wait for the crossing signal to give the go ahead. There was a small group of people already waiting to cross the street. Her eyes immediately landed on the back of the head of one of the members of the group. Her body became rigid as she stared at the familiar looking head of dark blonde hair. What was he doing here? Was he following her now? She had so many questions racing through her mind. She opened her mouth, prepared to snap and yell at him, when the person standing a few feet in front of her turned his head to the side and she realized he wasn't who she thought he was at all. He wasn't Klaus. A wave of relief rushed through her.

She busied herself with adjusting her earbuds until the crosswalk signal gave the go ahead to cross the street. She kept her eyesight fixed ahead as she continued running. After an additional fifteen minutes she made her final sprint to the driveway of her house and came to a stop. Her chest bounced up and down as she caught her breath and walked with her hands resting on her hips to the front door. Inside, she made a beeline for the kitchen and drank a full glass of water. With a satisfied sigh, she set the glass back on the counter and headed to her room to pick out a change of clothes before jumping in the shower. She emerged a short time later feeling refreshed, rejuvenated, and ready to tackle fixing up her resume so she could send off to the editor in New Orleans.

She walked over to the desk in the corner of her room to retrieve her laptop case from the chair where she'd stowed it and froze when her hands had grasped the strap. Her eyes were fixed on the piece of parchment containing Klaus's drawing of her beside the horse from the night of the ball. With a disapproving grunt, she shook her head and tried to suppress the thoughts and feelings that were trying to make their way back up to the surface as she picked up her laptop case and carried it over to her bed. She made herself comfortable while she waited for her laptop to boot up and placed it on her lap. Within minutes her eyes were moving from line to line in her resume document as she went over it with a fine toothed comb.

Every so often her eyes flickered over to the spot on her desk where the drawing was. Though she couldn't actually see the drawing itself from her current sitting position on the bed, knowing exactly where it lay was enough to nag at her. Try as she might to ignore it and remained focused on her resume, the internal nagging worsened with each passing minute.

"Oh for the love of..."she groaned after realizing she'd been staring at the same phrase for a steady five minutes because she couldn't stop thinking about _him_.

 _Just admit you miss him_ , a voice inside her head goaded her.

"No, I don't," Cassandra answered back out loud. "And now I'm talking to myself."

With a deep sigh, she redirected her focus and knuckled down to finish composing the cover letter she intended to attach to her resume. It wasn't easy, but somehow she managed to do it and sent it off knowing she'd done the best she could with it. As she shut down her laptop and closed it with a soft click, she realized she no longer had anything to distract her thoughts. She knew deep down the tiny voice that echoed in her mind was right. She did miss him.

Could it hurt, she wondered, to go see him and talk to him? They hadn't spoken in weeks, not since the night he walked out of the Gilbert house. She had no idea what she would say to him now. She did know the longer she sat around thinking about him, the worse the nagging would grow.

 _Okay, okay,_ she signed in resignation and crawled off of the bed. _I'll do it. I'll go see him. I have no idea what I'll say, but maybe it'll make this god awful nagging stop for a while. I hope._

She quickly slipped on her favorite pair of tennis shoes and brushed out her hair. It had a little extra wave in it due to letting it air dry instead of using the blowdryer. Satisfied with her casual appearance, she pulled on a jacket, slipped her phone into her purse and slipped the straps over her arms as she made her way outside to her car.

In a matter of minutes she pulled into Klaus's massive driveway. She shut off the engine of her car and sat silently as she stared at the enormous mansion she'd come to know so well. It was illuminated in the darkened night by strategically placed lights all around the massive grounds. Butterflies fluttered around in the pit of her stomach at the thought of seeing him face to face again. A part of her knew she shouldn't be there, but the part of her that wanted to see him was much stronger. She took a deep breath and climbed out of her car. As she made the walk up to the driveway to the front doors, she tried to figure out what to say, but everything thing she came up with sounded dumb and rehearsed, so she decided to let it happen naturally. She came to a stop in front of the huge French doors and raised her hand to knock. Before her knuckles were able to make contact with the wood, the doors slowly opened.

"Oh!" Cassandra stumbled backwards with a surprised gasp as one of the housekeepers appeared.

"Oh, hello Miss Forbes," the housekeeper flashed her a warm smile. "Can I help you with something?"

"H..hey," Cassandra replied once her ability to speak returned. "Yeah, I was actually looking for Klaus. Is he in?"

"Yes. He's upstairs. Shall I announce you?"

"No, that's okay. You're on your way out. I can show myself in, if that's okay."

"Of course," the housekeeper nodded and let her pass.

Cassandra heard the front door click behind her as she began to make her way towards the grand staircase. Her heart thumped rapidly inside her chest as she climbed the stairs. When she reached the top she exhaled slowly and headed down the hall towards the parlor. She stopped at the doorway and raised her hand to tap on the opened door as she walked inside, freezing before her hand made contact with the wood as she stared in horror at the sight in front of her.

Klaus was on top of the last person she ever expected to see—Hayley. Their shirts had been discarded onto the floor as they lay on top of a round table while Klaus sucked on Hayley's neck and held her hand intertwined with his own above her head. The moans leaving Hayley's mouth made Cassandra sick to her stomach. She knew all too well what Klaus's kisses felt like.

As an audible gasp left her lips, Cassandra clamped a hand over her mouth and quickly spun around, unaware that her gasp had been heard. She raced back through the hallway and down the grand staircase to the front door. She was halfway there when a hand grasped her wrist and gently pulled her to a sudden stop.

"Cassandra. Wait," Klaus murmured breathlessly. "What are you doing here?"

She slowly turned around to face him, tugging her wrist away from his hand. He was still shirtless which made it increasingly difficult to not stare and his muscular chest. "I..It doesn't matter. I shouldn't have come. You're clearly busy and.."

"It matters to me," he interrupted, staring back at her with gentle eyes. "Please, tell me."

Cassandra groaned softly, shaking her head back and forth. "Ugh. Fine. I..I missed you, okay? I haven't been able to get you out of my head at all today, try as I might. One thing after another reminded me of you and moments we shared together. I even thought I saw you while I was out on a run. I guess I thought maybe we could just talk, have a friendly conversation. I don't know. I hadn't thought that far ahead. I just wanted to see you again, and my sister is busy right now, otherwise I'm certain she would have talked me out of it, so here I am." She was rambling now. "I should have called first because you're clearly busy, which is fine. I'm in no position to judge or be jealous after what I d…"

Her words were cut off as Klaus grabbed her face and slammed his lips against hers. Time seemed to slow to a stop as old, familiar feelings began to awaken and stir within her. In an instant, she was at his beck and call, moving her lips back against his as she allowed her purse to slide down her arm to the floor before gliding her hands along his bare chest. Their tongues collided while his hands moved up and down her torso. The next thing she knew, she was lying flat on her back in his huge bed. He ripped her shirt off and began to kiss her neck and collarbone while his hand slipped behind her back to unclasp her bra.

"W..what about Hayley?" She whispered, lifting her head to meet his eyes.

Klaus smiled at her and brought his lips to her ear. "I already told her to see herself out before I followed you downstairs."

"Oh," her lips parted slightly. He sucked lightly on her earlobe, causing a soft moan to leave her lips. He effortlessly removed her bra and tossed it behind him. Her back arched and her skin felt like it was on fire from his touch. She wanted him as much as he wanted her. It didn't matter in that moment if it was right or wrong. Nothing mattered. His touch, the warmth and taste of his lips and his body pressed against hers, the pleasure bubbling and growing in the pit of her stomach, these were the only things she could focus on as she slipped deeper and deeper into the abyss that was Klaus Mikaelson.

-o-

Cassandra carefully sat up and clutched the cotton sheets around her body as she gazed over at Klaus. He looked incredibly peaceful as he slept beside her, sprawled out on his stomach with an arm tucked under his pillow. She turned away and held her breath, biting her lip as she leaned over the side of the bed to reach for her bra and underwear. She quickly slipped the straps over her shoulders and hooked the clasp behind her back. As she was sliding her underwear up and over her hips she winced at the sound of Klaus beginning to stir. She should have known making a quick and quiet getaway wasn't going to happen. Sighing softly, she moved the sheet away and swung her legs over the side of the bed so she could finished getting dressed.

"Leaving so soon?" Klaus purred softly as she pulled her shirt over her head. She could feel the weight of the bed shift as he leaned closer to her. "You know, you could stay."

"No. I can't," Cassandra murmured softly, keeping her back to him as she pushed her arms through the openings of her shirt sleeves. She gripped the edges of the shirt to finish pulling it down, but before she could, Klaus placed a hand on her lower back.

"Sure you can," he replied breathlessly as he slowly moved his hand to her waist. With his other hand he moved her hair to one side and lowered his lips onto her neck.

For a second, her breath caught in her throat. She knew if she didn't find a way to get herself away from him soon, she'd end up falling victim to his tantalizing ways all over again. She was more determined than ever to be strong.

"No," she shook her head, speaking in a low, stern voice. "I can't. This shouldn't have happened. I never should have come here. It..it doesn't change anything. I'm sorry. I just…I'm sorry."

She felt him recoil away from her, her words doing their job. She quickly jumped to her feet and pulled her jeans back on while keeping her back to him. She knew it wasn't what he wanted to hear, and she was too much of a coward in that moment to turn around and face him. She slipped her socks and shoes back on and bolted from the room. She raced down the grand staircase and scooped up her purse where it had fallen to the floor before continuing on her way out the front door. She didn't stop until she was sitting securely in the driver's seat of her car. She gripped the steering wheel tightly as she caught her breath and attempted to calm herself down. Her heart pounded inside of her chest, but each deep breath slowly brought it down until it was beating a normal rhythm again.

"Cassandra you are a complete and total idiot!" She banged a fist against the steering wheel with a growl. She hated herself for getting caught up in the moment of passion with Klaus. She stared straight ahead at the blackened night sky as thought after thought swarmed her mind. She should have been stronger and pushed him away when he initially kissed her. She should have...no. She wasn't going to go down the 'shoulda done this' road. It wouldn't erase what had happened.

With a heavy sigh, she relaxed her hands and reached out to turn the key in the ignition. As her car roared to life, her cell phone chimed from inside her purse. She pulled it out and found a text from Matt flashing on her screen. _Meet me at Tyler's house. Caroline's on her way over too._

She quickly sent a reply saying she was on her way and backed out of the driveway. It only took a handful of minutes for her to drive over to the Lockwood Estate. She parked next to her sister's car and climbed out of her car. She saw Caroline already halfway up the driveway and jogged up to walk beside her.

"Matt texted me, too," Cassandra told Caroline after receiving a confused stare from her.

"Okay," Caroline nodded.

The front door was already open, so they both decided to walk inside. Cassandra stepped over the threshold and instantly realized Caroline had been stopped by an invisible barrier.

"What the..." She gasped in disbelief.

"I have no idea why this is happening," Caroline tried to step over the doorway and was blocked again. She blinked in confusion and called out to Matt. He appeared a second later from the hallway and walked towards them holding a sheet of paper in his hands. "Matt, why can't I get inside?"

He stared down at the paper in his hands for a brief moment before looking back up at Caroline and Cassandra. "Come in," he told Caroline.

Cassandra and Caroline shared a confused glance as Caroline slowly stepped over the threshold.

"Matt," Cassandra turned toward him. "What's going on?"

"Tyler sent me this package in the mail," he answered. He stopped once he was in front of them and handed the paper in his hand to Caroline. "This is for you. Both of you, actually. You need to read it too, Cass."

Cassandra nodded her head and turned her gaze toward her sister, watching Caroline's eyes darted back and forth from line to line as she read the letter from Tyler. She couldn't quite figure out what was running through Caroline's head, but her quickening breath and quivering lower lip weren't good signs.

"He's not coming back," Caroline murmured, staring blankly at the paper after she'd finished reading it.

"What!" Cassandra squeaked and snatched the paper out of Caroline's hands. Her eyes widened in shock as she read it.

 _Cass and Care,_

 _I miss you both more than I can put into words, but I know as long as Klaus is alive, I can't come home. He won't stop trying to kill me, and you two won't stop trying to protect me. Which means the only way to make sure you both are safe is for me to go and never come back. I left Matt the deed to the house. It will protect you both in ways I can't anymore. I will always love you, Caroline. Cass, I will always think of you as a sister._

Cassandra flipped the page over, but there was nothing on the back. She looked up at her sister and immediately pulled her into her arms. Caroline burst into tears and buried her face against Cassandra's shoulder.

"Oh Care, I'm so sorry," Cassandra whispered. She pinched her own eyes shut in an attempt to stave off her own tears. A moment later she felt a pair of muscular arms wrap around her and Caroline, Matt's arms. He gingerly guided them over to the couch and eased them down into it, taking a spot on the other side of Caroline to help console her. Realizing she was still holding the note, Cassandra quickly crumbled it into a ball and tossed it across the room.

-o-

"So," Cassandra began, a hint of nervousness in her voice, once Caroline's sobs had diminished and Matt had given them some time alone,"I have something to tell you that…well it won't cheer you up, but it will at least distract you for a little while."

"O..kay," Caroline answered slowly, unsure of where Cassandra was going with this.

"I did something incredibly stupid today," Cassandra paused and cautiously eyed her sister. Caroline stared, waiting for her to continue. She was unable to look her in the eyes as she continued. "I might have gone to see Klaus, and I kind of…sort of…slept with him."

"Cass!" Caroline groaned loudly as she sunk back into the couch. "Why would you even go to see him in the first place?"

"I know, I know. Just…you have to know about the insane afternoon I had first," Cassandra sighed and launched into an explanation of everything that led to her winding up at Klaus's mansion.

"Okay, you know what?" Caroline took Cassandra by the hands after she was done talking. "Next time you get the urge to go see him, you call me, okay? I don't care what time of day it is, whether I'm in school or not. You call me, and I will talk you off that ledge, or I'll lock you up in the Salvatore's cellar until the feeling passes."

"Deal," Cassandra laughed softly and hugged her sister.

"Now, what do you say we go and raid the Lockwood's liquor stash?" Caroline slowly stood up and beckoned Cassandra to follow.

"I'd say I already beat you to it," Matt came walking into the room clutching a liquor bottle and three glasses in his hands. "I guess technically it's my liquor stash now."

"I guess it is," Cassandra flashed a tiny smile at him as he handed her and Caroline each a glass.

* * *

 **Well, there you have it. After months of wating, and wishing, I can finally and happily confirm that Cassandra will indeed become pregnant with Klaus's child, not Hayley. There were so many times I wanted to tell you guys not to worry, but I also wanted to keep you guys guessing until this point. Now that this is out there, I can also tell you guys that there will be...can you guess? Anyone? A SEQUAL! I am so excited about getting to go into the storylines from The Originals. I'm already thick in the throws of planning it all out and it is going to be so exciting and fun and twisted. Lots of Cass and Klaus, and I'm really, really excited to get to write some Cass and Elijah moments. I know there hasn't been a whole lot of him in this story, but there will be loads of Elijah in the second. Anyway, enough about that for now. I hope you are all as happy and pleased with the outcome as I am. I know things are still ucky between Cass and Klaus right now. Just keep sticking with me and I promise the payoff will be well worth the wait. You guys are the best! Stay tuned for more!**


	30. A Startling Revelation

**I'm so happy that you guys are just as excited for the sequel as I am. It's really going to be a wild and crazy ride. So sorry it took me longer than normal to update. The latest chapter I've been working on was a bit of a challenge because I didn't have as much episode material to work with. Plus, it's the second to last chapter of the story (which isn't for 5 more chapters so don't fret, this story isn't over yet) and my muse was sad to know that this is nearing the end. Nevertheless, I think you guys will be pretty happy with this one. There is a lot of Cass/Klaus nuggets. The next chapter is 95% all Klaus and Cass too, so I'll leave you with that to look forward to for next time. Thanks again for sticking with me! I appreciate all of your wonderful comments!**

* * *

 **Chapter 30 - A Startling Revelation**

"I'm glad you agreed to help me clean all this up," Caroline handed Cassandra a plastic trash bag. They had gone over to the Salvatore Boarding House the following morning to give Stefan a hand in putting the place back together.

"Wow," Cassandra looked around the huge parlor room. "Elena really made a mess with her crazy party."

"Yeah," Caroline sighed and nodded her head.

Cassandra walked over to one of the many tables and started disposing of the empty beer bottles into her trash bag. "I still can't believe she attacked mom. And then you. God she's….they need to find a way to get her to turn her humanity back on already."

"I know," Caroline agreed. "Just keep drinking water from the town's water supply and stay far, far away from her. As long as you have vervain in your system she can't feed on you."

"Don't worry. I will absolutely be keeping my distance from her."

"Good." Caroline walked over to the front door entryway with a small trash can in her hand and tossed a bunch of used napkins and cups into it. From there she moved on to the end table beside the couch. She picked up a blue plastic cup and, upon noticing some leftover beer inside, brought it up to her lips. She tipped her head back as she down it in one gulp.

"Ew, gross Caroline," Cassandra shook her head and laughed.

"Desperate times, I take it?" Klaus casually strolled into the room from another doorway with his hands folded behind his back.

Cassandra had been standing with her back in his direction and immediately spun around to face him with a look of complete surprise all over her face. "What are you doing here?"

"Not judging your sister, for starters," he told her. He paused and shifted his eyes onto Caroline who stared back at him utterly unamused. "Although, if you are determined to get drunk, then perhaps I might recommend something a little more sanitary."

Caroline picked up a random red cup and drank the remnants of the liquor it contained before tossing it into the trash can, all while giving Klaus a fierce stare.

"Well, then. You showed me," Klaus's face broke out into an amused grin.

Caroline returned to picking up trash, grabbing another wad of napkins and some used cups to dispose of. "Shouldn't you be out chasing Tyler to the ends of the earth? Or are there still some hopes and dreams you want to crush around here?"

"Depends," he answered lightly. His eyes flashed from Caroline back to Cassandra who stood a couple of feet away. "Do either of you happen to know where the young Brutus is?"

"I know where he's not," Cassandra folded her arms across her chest. "With my sister. Or me. And he gave Matt the deed to the house, so he's gone for good."

Klaus nodded his head slightly as he walked towards Cassandra. "Tyler made it his life's mission to kill me," he came to a stop once he was in front of her and lowered his voice to a whisper. "You can't hate me for driving him away."

Cassandra didn't know what to say. She hadn't anticipated his moving in so quickly, and his close proximity had made her draw a big, fat blank. Caroline, sensing her sister's hesitation, jumped in to save her.

"Well I can," she glared at Klaus as she glared at him. "And I do. Now if you don't mind, we'd like to get back to cleaning, and I'd like to get to spiraling, so go away."

"Actually, I asked him to be here," Stefan walked into the room.

This snapped Cassandra out of her inability to speak. "Wait, you did what?" she turned her head quickly in his direction.

"We need his help. I think Silas is in Mystic Falls," Stefan told them. Cassandra moved over to Caroline who was sitting on the edge of a side table and stood beside her while Stefan explained his recent discovery to the group. As he listened, Klaus decided to help himself to a drink.

"So some blood went missing from a few hospitals. What about Elena? Don't vampires with their humanity off tend to overindulge in human blood," He asked while he poured bourbon from a crystal decanter into a glass. Then he turned around to face Stefan. "Or were you the exception?"

"It's not Elena," Stefan told him.

"Well, let's say for a moment that it was Silas," Klaus walked over to the couch and sat down. "I'm struggling to see how this affects me."

Cassandra had to fight the urge to scoff and roll her eyes at his comment while Stefan went on, telling them more about Silas.

"Look, Silas wants to die and be reunited with his one true love, but he's supernatural," Stefan took a few steps towards the couch where Klaus was seated. "So if he takes the cure and dies he gets stuck on the Other Side."

"How Shakespearean," Klaus murmured softly, smiling as he brought his glass up to his lips to take a drink.

"But if he destroys the Other Side altogether, he can take the cure, die, and pass on, but in destroying it, every dead supernatural being will return to our side," Stefan finished.

"That means every werewolf, every witch, every vampire. I wonder how many of those you personally killed. Care yet?" Caroline stared bitterly at him.

"My interest is piqued," a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He looked up at Stefan. "How do we stop him?"

"Bonnie said Silas needs to complete three massacres to do this spell. Before Professor Shane died, he convinced the Pastor to blow up the Council. Next he had you kill your hybrids, and now he only needs one more massacre, so if he's here, that's what he's doing. We need to find him."

To do that, they needed to access Shane's office and dig up whatever information they could find on the massacres. They decided the best time to do that was later in the day after the last class was over so no one would be around. Klaus finished the rest of his drink and told Stefan to notify him when it was time to leave. Once he was gone, Stefan, Cassandra, and Caroline went back to cleaning up the mess from Elena's party.

By the time they were finished, it was well into the afternoon. Cassandra and Caroline headed back home to get cleaned up and grab something to eat before meeting backup with Stefan and Klaus to go to Shane's office at Whitmore College. When they returned to the Salvatore Boarding house, they found Stefan and Klaus standing next to Stefan's cherry red Porsche.

"We're taking Stefan's car?" Cassandra eyed Stefan warily as she and Caroline came to a stop beside him and Klaus.

"It seats four," Stefan told her. "Granted, the two seats in the back are a tight fit, it's still doable. And it'll get us to Whitmore in half the time."

"Oh! I call shotgun!" Caroline pounced on the front passenger seat.

Cassandra eyed her sister with a scowl. "Seriously, Care?"

"Well, I'm not sitting all squished back there next to Klaus. And Stefan's driving, so, that only leaves you." Caroline answered matter-of-factly. "And like Stefan said, it'll get us there fast. Come on, Cass. It's not that big a deal."

"Ugh, fine," Cassandra groaned. She opened the passenger side door and lowered the front seat so she could climb into the back. Klaus did the same on the opposite side of the car.

"Well isn't this cozy," Klaus flashed her a smile as fastened his seat belt and leaned back in his seat.

Cassandra scoffed and busied herself with buckling her own seat belt. It was a lot more cramped back there than she ever anticipated, so much so that their shoulders were nearly touching. She hated being so close to him, especially knowing he was enjoying every second of it. She held her purse in her lap and looked out the tiny window as Stefan drove away from the boarding house, refusing to look at Klaus.

True to his word, Stefan sped down the highway at lightning speed, passing up other drivers left and right. For majority of the time, the ride was smooth sailing—until Stefan made a hard turn to swerve around a slow car. The force of the movement pushed her left shoulder straight into Klaus's. Her body tensed at the contact and she scrambled to move away from him again, shaking her head at Stefan's crazy driving skills. She could hear Klaus chuckling softly to himself and fought the urge to throw him an icy stare. She realized the more annoyed she acted, the more amused he became, so she did her best to relax for the duration of the drive.

They finally arrived at Whitmore College a short while later and quickly climbed out of the car. It didn't take them long to locate the building where Shane's office was. Stefan opened the door and led the way inside. Cassandra gazed around the room, amazed at the amount of jars and artifacts Shane had lying around.

"What are we even looking for?" Caroline asked as she closed the door to the office after they were all inside.

Stefan began to wander around the office, running his fingers along different objects. "Well, if Shane really was working with Silas, chances are he was helping him plan his next move."

"Where, on his evil villain to-do list?" Caroline walked around table covered in different jars filled with unknown substances and ended up in front of a tall shelf. "Steal blood, perform three massacres, pick up dry cleaning?"

"Actually," Klaus looked over at her. "Not to nit-pick, but we evil villains usually use minions to pick up our dry cleaning, that sort of thing."

Cassandra rolled her eyes at Klaus's attempt to be funny. "Why is he necessary again?" She asked Stefan.

"Well, we don't know what Silas can do, so if we have to go head to head with him, an original hybrid who can't die might come in handy," Stefan told her.

"Besides, Stefan and I work well together, or at least we did in the twenties," Klaus grinned.

"Well, granted my, uh, my emotions were off," Stefan added.

Cassandra tuned out their conversation as Klaus began to bring up Elena and Damon. She walked over to a bookshelf and began scanning the titles for anything that looked relevant. One stood out so she picked it up to get a closer look.

"Don't underestimate the allure of darkness, Stefan. Even the purest hearts are drawn to it," Klaus waved a finger at him. Cassandra had been reading the words on the spine of the book when Klaus's words drew her attention. She looked up at him for half a second, then went back to staring at the book. Stefan laughed off Klaus's words, not believing them. Klaus wasn't fazed at all by it. "Still, I'm sure it will all be fine."

"I..I think I found something," Cassandra decided to speak up and change the topic of conversation in the room. She carried the large book in her arms over to the desk where Klaus was seated. Caroline and Stefan quickly gathered around to see what she had found.. " _Symbolic Figures In the Dark Arts_. Didn't Bonnie talk about Expression Triangles?"

"Yeah," Caroline nodded.

Cassandra opened the book to a picture of a triangle and laid it down on the desk. "Here," she pointed at it.

Stefan read the text on the opposite page. "'In some schools of magic such as Expression, human sacrifice can be used as a focus for power. It's rumored that the addition of two supernatural sacrifices compounds the mystical energy, creating an Expression Triangle.'"

"Humans," Caroline pointed at the symbol above the triangle's top point. "That was the council fire."

"Demon," Cassandra pointed at the symbol next to the triangles left point. "Klaus's hybrid failure." She looked up to meet his eyes.

"Well, I wouldn't exactly call it a failure," he disagreed. "What's the third?"

Cassandra looked back down to connect the third symbol with the key on the opposite page. Her eyes widened in horror at what she found. She looked up at Caroline and saw the same horrified expression on her face.

"Oh no" Caroline clasped her hands together and brought them up to her lips.

"Well?" Klaus began to grow impatient.

"It's witches, okay?" Cassandra sighed. "The third massacre is witches!"

"Okay, here's what's going to happen," Stefan jumped to action. He pointed to Cassandra and Klaus. "You two get a hold of a map and pinpoint where the third Massacre needs to be based on the locations of the other two. Caroline, you and I are going to go give Bonnie a call."

Caroline nodded and followed him out of the office. Rather than dwell on the fact that she was suddenly alone with Klaus, Cassandra went to work searching for a map of their region in Virginia. She didn't have to go far, finding one under a stack of papers. Klaus moved the book off the desk and helped her layout the map so they could view it. She grabbed a pen and a ruler from the top drawer of the desk to mark the massacre locations on the map. She stared at the map and quickly marked where the first two massacres were by drawing a small 'x' on each location.

"There have been two massacres. Pastor Young's farm is here," she placed the tip of the pen on top of the mark and lined up the ruler underneath it to draw straight line to the second mark. "And the old Lockwood Cellar where you killed your hybrids is here. According to the book, the Expression is equilateral, putting it…here."

Klaus looked down at the third mark and completed triangle she'd just drawn. "Somebody's forgotten what they learned in their geometry class," his lips curled into an amused smile. She stared at him confused. He took the pen and ruler from her, drawing a second equilateral triangle opposite of the one she'd drawn. "There are actually two places where the third massacre could be."

"Well, you didn't let me finish," she slowly gazed up at him, a small smile tugging at her lips. He stared back at her and started to smile, but the moment ended as the door to the office opened. Cassandra spun around to see Stefan and Caroline walking towards them. "Hey. What's going on? Did you get a hold of Bonnie?"

"No," Stefan answered. "But I talked to her dad. I think I found Silas."

He quickly told them about what he'd found out—that Silas had taken Shane's form and was coaching Bonnie, much to her father's dismay. Cassandra showed them the two possible spots on the map for the third massacre on the map. They agreed to split up into teams of two and divide and conquer. Whoever ended up at the correct spot would call the other two and let them know so they could get over to it as quick as possible.

Cassandra knew before they'd even begin to discuss who would go with who that she'd end up paired with Klaus. She figured he and Stefan would split, that much was obvious, and she knew Caroline would prefer to go with Stefan, so she surprised them all by quickly announcing she'd go check out one of the locations on the map with Klaus. Caroline mouthed her a thank you as they left the office and headed off with Stefan back to his car. She turned to Klaus who held out his hand. She took a deep breath and slowly placed her hand in his, allowing him to whoosh the two of them away to the woods.

She couldn't let go of his hand fast enough once they came to a stop. Klaus took out his phone and pulled up a photo of the map that he'd taken before they left Shane's office. He stared at it for a long moment and then motioned for Cassandra to follow him.

"I just want to see where we are," she tried to get Klaus to let her look at his phone as they walked.

"You know, when we split up, you did have the option of going with Stefan," Klaus ignored her request and pointed out her choice to go with him instead.

"No, I really didn't," Cassandra shook her head. "Caroline would have begged me to let her go with Stefan, so, it was just easier choosing to go with you instead of hashing it out with her. Now, are you going to let me see the map? Do you even know how to read it?"

"Yes, and do you know who taught me?" He slipped his phone into his jacket pocket. "Magellan."

"Wow! You had a friend," Cassandra feigned being impressed. "Was he drawn to your darkness too?"

"Actually, I was referring to Damon and Elena when I said that, but clearly it struck a chord with you."

"It's because it's not true! There is no allure to darkness."

Klaus spun around to face her, forcing her to come to a stop. "Really? So you've never felt the attraction that comes when someone who's capable of doing terrible things for some reason cares only about you?"

She went to open her mouth, but nothing came out. She couldn't deny his claim. Her silence confirmed what he already knew.

"That's what I thought," he nodded once. "Anyway, we're here. Although, judging by the lack of witches, here is not the correct location."

He pulled his phone back out to peer at the other location on the map. After a long moment he pocketed the device again and held out his hand. Cassandra quickly took it and allowed him to vamp-speed them away. In a matter of seconds they came to a stop a short distance away from where the final massacre was all set to go down. They spotted Stefan hunched over next to a tall tree, catching his breath after being attacked by one of the witches. Caroline stood next to him, staring at the brightly lit circle of torches. There were eleven witches kneeling between each torch, while the twelfth witch was in the middle of the circle with Bonnie, performing some sort of spell on her.

"Oh my god. Bonnie!" Cassandra clamped a hand over her mouth.

"They're linked," Stefan told her and Klaus. "Bonnie's gonna kill them."

Klaus tightened his jaw as he stared at Stefan. "Not if the witches kill her first." He pushed Stefan back against a nearby tree with hyper speed and held him there.

"Klaus," Caroline ran over to them. "We need to save her."

"How?" Klaus kept his eyes on Stefan. "The only way to stop the witches is to kill them, and then Silas gets what he wants."

The witch in the center of the circle began to chant again and held a long knife above Bonnie. Bonnie began to scream as the witch prepared to drive the knife into her. Cassandra made eye contact with Caroline and saw they were both in agreement about what had to be done. She watched as Caroline whooshed behind the witch and made her drive the dagger into her own body, killing her. One by one the witches in the circle dropped until they all lay dead. She could see Caroline slowly realizing she'd just killed twelve people as she choked back sobs. Her eyes landed on Bonnie, snapping her out of it.

"Bonnie," Caroline whispered, crouching down to make sure her friend was okay. Bonnie slowly opened her eyes, revealing they'd turned completely white.

"The triangle is complete," she spoke out.

-o-

Cassandra wiped her sweaty forehead with the back of her arm. Stefan had volunteered to take Bonnie home, leaving her, Caroline, and Klaus to bury the dead bodies of the witches. Caroline was too in shock to be of much help, so when Klaus returned with a couple of shovels he'd commandeered, she held out a hand for one and went to work digging grave after grave. By the time they'd finished it was dawn.

"There," Klaus slammed the shovel in to the ground so that it could stand up on its own and brushed off his hands as he faced Caroline. He rolled down his sleeves and grabbed his jacket from where he'd dropped it and put it back on. "Twelve graves for twelve witches. Like it never happened. Only it did happen. Now Silas has everything he needs to open the gates to hell on earth."

"You were just gonna let Bonnie die," Caroline stared coldly at him.

"I know arithmetic isn't your strong point," he took a few steps towards her, glaring back. "But one is still less than twelve."

Cassandra moved so she was standing beside Caroline and folded her arms as she faced Klaus. "Yeah, but that _one_ is my sister's _best friend_. I would have done it myself if I were in Caroline's shoes."

"You two tell yourselves whatever you need to so you can sleep at night," Klaus lowered his voice as he sneered at them.

Caroline stared straight ahead, the impact of Klaus's words weighing heavily on her. "I just killed twelve people."

"Oh, Care," Cassandra pulled Caroline into her arms when she started to cry. "You did the right thing. You saved Bonnie. Don't let anyone ever tell you otherwise, okay? It's gonna be fine. Why don't you go back to Stefan's car. I'll be right behind you."

Caroline nodded and walked around the graves to the road where the car was waiting. Cassandra watched her until she was out of sight, and then walked over to pick up her jacket from the ground next to the rock where Caroline had been sitting. She bent over to pick it up, and as she came back up she was hit with a sudden wave of lightheadedness. She brought her other hand to her forehead and pinched her eyes shut as she waited for it to pass. Her legs began to shake beneath her, making her wonder if they were about to give out, or if she was about to pass out. She started to take a step towards the big rock so she could lean against it when her body teetered. Klaus was at her side in a hybrid instant, holding her steady.

"Easy, love. I've got you," he murmured softly. She took a few deep breaths and let them out slowly while she waited for the wave to pass. When it finally did, she slowly blinked her eyes open and realized Klaus was holding her in his arms.

"I..I'm fine," she pushed his arms away and took a step back from him. "Nothing a hot shower, food, and a long nap won't cure."

"Cassandra," he started to take a step towards her. His eyes were full of concern. "Just let me h.."

She put a hand up and shook her head as she began to head in the direction of the car. "I'm fine. Honest. I don't need your help."

He watched her leave with sadness in his eyes and heart. He walked over to where he'd left the shovel, intending to pick it up, when he sensed a new presence behind him. He slowly turned around and found Professor Shane standing a few yards away from him.

"Thank you," Shane began to speak. "Of the three massacres, this is the one I was dreading."

Klaus knew the professor had died on the island, which only meant one thing.

"Silas I presume," he wore a smug smile on his face. He made a spectacle of showing his pockets were empty. "I'm sorry, mate. Don't have it."

"But you know who does," Silas smiled lightly back at him. "And the last thing that you want is for that cure to be used on you, so you bring it to me, and it won't be. You get to live."

Klaus chuckled softly, knowing that was, in fact, the very last thing he wanted to do, "Heh, yeah. With all of my dead supernatural enemies from the Other Side. You know, you don't scare me, Silas, or Shane, or whoever you are."

"I think I know what does," Shane pulled out the indestructible white oak stake from his back pocket and held it out for Klaus to see.

"Now where did you get that?"

"Well, let's just say your sister's mind is a little easier to read than yours."

Klaus was not happy to hear this and flashed him a hard, cold stare.

"So," Silas raised his eyebrows. "Care to reconsider my offer?"

Klaus thought about it for a split second, and then he vamp sped towards Silas to attack him. Silas disappeared as quickly as Klaus had moved forward. He couldn't believe what had just happened, that Silas could vanish in the blink of an eye. Then out of nowhere Silas came up from behind him and rammed the white oak stake into his back. Klaus yelled out in pain as he dropped to his knees.

"I missed by an inch," Silas gripped him by the shoulder and leaned in to speak softly in his ear. "But don't worry. I'm not trying to kill you, not just yet."

Klaus yelled out as Silas broke off the tip of the stake inside his chest,

"Just a little something to remember me by," Silas patted his shoulder before walking off. "I'll be in touch."

-o-

Cassandra groaned softly as her cell phone began to ring, stirring her from her peaceful slumber. She reached for the device laying on her night stand and held it in front of her face to see who was calling. She took one look at Klaus's name flashing on the screen and tossed her phone back on the bed.

"Nope. Not answering that call," she yawned, rolling over to go back to sleep. A second later she heard her bedroom door opening and turned her head to see Caroline walking in her room. She had a hand behind her back.

"I heard your phone ring," Caroline murmured softly as she took a seat at the foot of the bed.

"Yeah. It was Klaus," Cassandra stifled another yawn. "I let it go to voicemail. Whatever it is can wait until I've gotten caught up on sleep."

"Yeah, about that. I know you've got to be pretty exhausted after staying up all night helping to dig those graves, which I am so, so grateful for by the way, but I didn't want to wait any longer to give this to you," Caroline revealed the arm she'd been keeping behind her back and handed Cassandra a neatly wrapped present with a big white bow wrapped around it.

"What on earth is this for?" Cassandra sat up to take the gift, an eight by ten box in size and a couple inches deep, and stared at it in wonder.

"Don't tell me you've forgotten what today is," Caroline shook her head, stifling a laugh. "Happy Birthday, Cass."

Cassandra clapped a hand against her forehead. "Oh my god. I feel like a total doofus. I can't believe I forgot today's my birthday. I guess I got so caught up in all the drama with Bonnie that it completely slipped my mind."

"Well, what are you waiting for? Open it," Caroline urged her on eagerly.

"Okay," Cassandra beamed. She swiftly discarded the bow and tore apart the wrapping paper. Her heart pounded in anticipation as she slowly lifted the lid and it aside before pulling back the tissue paper. Inside was a beautiful black leather organizer. It was six inches long and four and a half inches wide. She carefully pulled it out and undid the small snap closure so she could open it up. It contained a small notepad on the right side, had a slot to hold a writing utensil in the middle, and a flap on the left to store her phone or a digital recorder. It was perfect for the reporter on the go. She gazed at Caroline, grinning from ear to ear. "It's beautiful. I absolutely love it."

"It'll fit nicely in your purse so you can take it with you wherever you go, that way you'll be prepared if some big story breaks out," Caroline prattled on excitedly. "I know you haven't heard back from that editor in Louisiana yet, but I have complete and total confidence that you will."

"Thank you, Caroline. It's perfect," Cassandra leaned forward gave her a tight hug. "I can't wait to use it."

"You're welcome. I'm glad you love it," Caroline smiled. "So, any chance I could convince you to let me take you out shopping for the perfect interview outfit, and maybe a mani/pedi too? I mean, if you'd rather sleep that's totally fine since it is your birthday after all."

"I think I might be up for that," Cassandra nodded. "Just give me a few minutes to freshen up and change into something less loungey, then we can go."

"Yay! Okay, you do what you gotta do to get ready. I'm going to go book us appointments to get our nails done," Caroline squealed as she dashed out of the room.

Cassandra swung her legs over the side of the bed, chuckling to herself. She started to walk over to her closet to pull out a pair of jeans and a blouse when her cell phone rang again. She leaned over to look at the screen without picking it up and saw Klaus's name again. She shook her head and continued on her way over to her closet, all the while wondering if she was in for an afternoon of endless pestering by the Original Hybrid. She would later learn just how right she was and why exactly he was desperately trying to get a hold of her.


	31. Come To My Rescue

**Chapter 31 - Come To My Rescue**

Klaus stood shirtless in his art room with his back to the glowing fireplace as he looked over his shoulder at the mounted mirror on the wall above. He growled softly as he dug his fingers into his back, trying desperately to find the shard of white oak that Silas had left inside of him. His chest heaved up and down with heavy breath after heavy breath as his attempt to dig out the white oak with his own hand failed. Instead, he left himself with a bloody, gaping wound the size of his fist in the middle of his shoulder blades. He glanced at an adjacent brick wall and vamp-ran over to it, ramming his chest into the ninety degree edge in the hopes of dislodging the dreaded piece of wood so that he could reach it with his fingers. His yells of pain and fury filled the room. He slowly pushed himself away from the wall and moved back over to the mirror to claw at his back once more. He panted, blinking as sweat rolled down his face. Still unable to reach the torturous piece of wood, he turned around and took a deep breath before yanking his right arm forward as he rammed his back against the edge of the fireplace mantle, letting out another bloodcurdling yell.

"Klaus we need to talk," Cassandra came walking briskly into the room. Her eyes widened when she saw the state he was in. "What happened to you?"

"Silas," he grunted as she continued to walk towards him. "He attacked me. He stabbed me with the white oak stake. A piece of it is still inside me."

"My god, Klaus that could kill you," Cassandra's face was full of worry.

Klaus pushed himself up and hobbled over a few steps to a chair, leaning on the back of it for support. "Well, I certainly feel like I'm dying," he laughed sarcastically.

Cassandra reached for Klaus's face with her left hand, stroking it gently. She looked into his eyes as she brought her other hand up and held the other side of his face. "And as much as I would love to watch you die, you still haven't found me that cure."

"Silas!" Klaus yelled pushed her away as he fell backwards, realizing she wasn't Cassandra at all.

She turned around and took a few steps before looking back at him. "That's right. Last night I looked like Shane. Today I look like Cassandra. And tomorrow, who knows?" She spoke in a soft, eerie voice.

"Show me your real face," Klaus spoke though gritted teeth.

"Now, why would I do that when I can look like whomever I want you to see." She took a few slow steps towards him. He rose up on his knees slightly, gasping in fear. "Resist me all you want, Klaus, but until you bring me the cure I will bring you nothing but misery."

Silas vanished in the blink of an eye. Klaus let out a huge sigh of relief as he dropped back down to the floor.

-o-

"Oh my god. You have got to be kidding me," Caroline hissed under her breath. She was helping Cassandra place some hangers of clothes on a rack in the dressing room of the store they were at after deciding they weren't quite right when she heard Cassandra's phone buzzing inside her purse with her vampire hearing. "That is the third time he's called you in the last five minutes. I've lost track of how many times in the last hour alone."

"Maybe I should just answer and see what he wants," Cassandra bit her lip and flashed her sister a a cautious glance.

"No. This is quality sister time. He can wait until tomorrow," Caroline vetoed the idea. A second later, Cassandra's phone began buzzing again. "Gah! Fine! Obviously he's not going to stop until he hears from you so you better answer."

Cassandra nodded and dug her phone out of her purse. When she pulled it out a new text from Klaus was displayed on the screen. "Oh. He wants me to come over to his place. Apparently he needs my help with something. Not sure what."

"Pffft. It's probably just a lame excuse to see you," Caroline scoffed.

"You're probably right," Cassandra sighed and shoved her phone back into her purse. "He can wait. Let's keep shopping."

"Wait," Caroline put a hand up. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but I think you should just go and deal with him now, or his obnoxious pestering will only get worse."

"Are you sure?" Cassandra stared back at her, surprise written all over her face.

Caroline nodded. "Yes. Go now, before I change my mind. I'll keep shopping until I find you the perfect outfit like we talked about. Just let me know if I need to cancel our nail appointments."

"Will do." Cassandra gave her sister a quick hug and hurried off to her car, grateful she'd volunteered to drive. She would have needed Caroline to drop her off back at the house otherwise.

It didn't take her long to drive over to Klaus's mansion. She climbed out of her car and quickly made her way to the front door. She knocked on it firmly and waited for Klaus or one of his housekeepers to answer. When nobody came after a long couple of minutes, she sighed and let herself in. She headed straight to the grand staircase and made her way up. Once she reached the second floor, she headed down the long hallway to the parlor, deciding to check there first for Klaus.

"Whatever your reason is for blowing up my phone with fifty bajillion phone calls and messages better be a life and death kind of thing," she called out in a loud voice as she stepped into the room.

"Go away," Klaus grumbled from somewhere farther inside the room.

"Klaus? Where are you?" Cassandra carefully stepped down the one step leading down to the main part of the parlor and began looking around. She found him in his art room hunched over a piano bench, looking utterly miserable. Her face softened instantly. "Woah, what happened to you?"

"I need more time," he twitched as he hugged himself. "STOP HOUNDING ME!"

" _I'm_ hounding _you_?" Cassandra stared at him in disbelief. "I'm supposed to be spending the afternoon shopping and getting pampered by my sister and you keep phone stalking me!"

"Cassandra," his voice cracked as he looked up at her. "Is it really you?"

Cassandra gave him a 'yeah, duh' kind of face, though she couldn't help wondering why he would even ask her that in the first place. He exhaled sharply, wincing and hissing as he slowly pulled himself up and into a sitting position on top of the piano bench.

"Prove it to me," he told her.

"What? How? On second thought…no. Never mind. I am not doing this. Not today. Any other day, sure, I'd humor you, but not today. Now if you'll excuse me, I'd like to get back to spending time with my sister," she turned on her heel and started to walk away.

"Wait, please," Klaus called out to her. "Silas. He stabbed me with the white oak stake. There's a little piece of it stuck inside me."

She slowly turned around to face him again. "Why would Silas attack you?"

"Well, I was in no position to ask questions," he gasped for breath. "Suffice it to say, I'm hurt. So you can understand why I called you."

"You ran Tyler out of town, you killed his mother, you nearly killed me, and you think _I'm_ the person to call for help?"

"You're the one person I know who won't let me die, who doesn't want me to die. Besides, if I do, your sister, Tyler, all of your friends die with me."

Cassandra couldn't deny he was right. Reluctantly she walked back over to him. "What do you want me to do?" She asked in a low voice.

"Well, it's quite simple really," he leaned back and tilted his head up to look at her. "I need to you to cut the stake out of me."

He motioned with his arm to a pair of bloody pliers laying open on the floor beside him. Cassandra's eyes widened as she stared at the bloody tool and realized exactly what he was wanting her to do. She disappeared into the other room to set her purse down on the couch and came back over to the piano where Klaus was still seated. As she reached down for the pliers, he pulled himself up to his feet and turned around to lean against the piano for support. She positioned herself behind him and made sure he was ready before she carefully pushed the pliers into his back. She had absolutely no idea how to go about searching for the shard of white oak, so she carefully felt around as best she could for anything loose. She was surprised at how quiet he remained considering the amount of pain he had to be enduring.

"Oh my god," she pretended to be surprised after failing to find anything abnormal after searching for a good ten minutes. "You do have a heart."

She tilted the pliers up at a steeper angle and pushed them deeper, hoping to get a better look. This time, Klaus let out a loud yell, a mixture of discomfort and annoyance at her comment.

"I'm sorry," she winced. "I was only trying to lighten the mood a little. Geeze."

"Well, I'm glad you're using my misery to tell jokes," he sneered.

"Ugh, I swear there's nothing in here," she hissed under her breath. She shifted her eyes to the back of Klaus's head and raised her voice. "And if you think I'm having fun, you're insane."

"Well, I can assure you this is a lot more painful for me than it is for you," he grumbled back.

She continued moving the pliers around in his back, and a moment later Klaus burst into a fit of monstrous yells, pounding the top of piano with the bag of his hand.

"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Cassandra yelled out apologetically. She let out a breath to regain her composure and spoke again in a softer voice. "I'm sorry."

A split second later she had a complete change of heart. "You know what?" She yanked the pliers out of his back, making him yell out again. "I'm not sorry. After everything you've done, you deserve a little suffering. So now, we're gonna do things my way. You want me to help you? You let Tyler come back to town and give me your word that you will not hurt him."

Klaus glared at her as he let out a sharp breath. It was the one thing in the world he didn't want to do. When he remained silent, Cassandra shrugged and dropped the pliers back onto the floor before heading back through the open double doorway into the parlor room. She walked over to the bookshelf and selected a book before making herself comfortable in one of the two big chairs. She read the first page and peered up to see Klaus hobbling over to the couch where he plopped down and curled his legs up against his chest so he could wrap his arms around them.

He moaned in pain as he reached over his shoulder and dug his fingers into his back like he had been doing before. "I can feel the splinters moving towards my heart. Help me!"

"Your word first," Cassandra answered cooly, keeping her eyes glued to the book in her hands.

"And what makes you think I won't simply break my word?" He growled back.

She looked up at him. "You want me to give you a second chance? Not think about giving, actually _give_ you a second chance, then Second Chances-Stage One: Show me that I can trust you."

"I saved your life. Twice."

"Okay, once I will give you, but the second time it was you who put it in danger to begin with. Why can't you just let go and do something decent for once?"

"Because Tyler Lockwood tried to kill me," his body shook as he yelled.

Cassandra shut the book she had in her lap and placed it on the coffee table before addressing him again. "Did he succeed? No." She rose to her feet, her frustration that he wouldn't agree to let Tyler come back growing, and took a few steps towards him. "God, I can't believe I defended you so many times to Caroline, to Stefan and Damon, to _Tyler_. And for what? For you to go and prove all of them right!"

Klaus slammed his hands against the back of the couch and sprang up to his feet, roaring loudly as he moved within inches of where she stood.. "I will not have my hand forced by you or anyone else!"

"What is wrong with you?" Cassandra yelled back. "I am reaching out to you despite everything you have done, and you still can't get out of your own way. God! I feel sorry for you!"

She started to turn around to grab her purse when Klaus whooshed and blocked her way. "Don't turn your back on me!"

"I should have turned my back on you ages ago!" She growled back sharply at him.

"WELL WHY HAVEN'T YOU?!"

"BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!"

Her words hung in the air. For a moment, she couldn't believe she'd gone and blurted them out. From the stunned look on Klaus's face, he was having similar thoughts. She could hear her own heart thudding in her ears as her mind processed what her heart had already known for months. She looked into his eyes and knew in that moment she wasn't going to push him away anymore, even after everything he'd done. A second after coming to this realization, she grabbed his face and slammed her lips against his. He stood still and unresponsive for half a second before engulfing her in his arms and kissing her back. He vamp sped her backwards and onto the couch, laying on top of her as their hands moved all over each other and their mouths fought for dominance. She frowned when he pulled away abruptly "Wha..."

"It's gone," he whispered, almost unwilling to believe it.

"What's gone?" She gazed back, confusion on her face.

"The pain," he gestured to his back. "The..the pain is gone. It was..it was never there. He got in my head. Silas...got inside my head."

"Oh my god," Cassandra gasped, staring back at him wide eyed.

He brought a hand to her face and ran his thumb gently against her cheek. "You took my mind off it. You brought me back, Cassandra."

"Oh. Well, you're welcome," her lips curled into a smile. The smile instantly faded as a new and much creepier thought entered her mind. She looked up at him with a horror stricken expression on her face. "If Silas can make you, of all people, believe that you're dying, what can he do to the rest of us?"

"I won't let anything happen to you, love. I promise," he tried to reassure her. She brought a hand up to stroke the side of his face and nodded slowly. He leaned down and captured her lips in a sweet kiss that left her head spinning. She sighed against his mouth, running her fingertips along his jaw and neck. She was faintly aware of him using his hyper-speed to move the two of them to his bed.

-o-

Cassandra let out a soft, blissful sigh as she rested her head against Klaus's bare chest. He had his arms wrapped securely around her, while their legs were a tangled mess of limbs. She absentmindedly began to move her fingers along his chest as she listened to the sound of his steadily beating heart.

"You're not going to run out on me again, are you?" He murmured against her hair.

"No," she snuggled closer to him. "Not this time. Or any time in the future. You're stuck with me now."

"Good," Klaus chuckled and brushed his lips against her temple. "Because I wasn't going to let you leave, anyway."

"You were gonna hold me hostage, huh?"

"Indeed I was."

"Well, I'm glad I put a damper in that little plan," she laughed softly. She paused and lifted her head so she could see his face. "I wanted you to know, when I said..yelled..that I love you, I meant it. And I don't expect you to say anything back. I know it's a sentiment you've seldom used, and I'm okay with that. I know how deeply you care about me, so I don't want you to feel rushed or obligated to..."

Her words were cut off by Klaus's lips crashing against hers. He pulled away after a long moment and caressed her cheek as her eyes slowly fluttered open. "I love you, too, Cassandra."

She stared at him in awe, losing her ability to speak. She kissed him again and snuggled back up against him in complete bliss.

"Oh, and I almost forgot. Happy Birthday, love," he whispered in her ear.

"You knew?" She gasped softly in surprise.

"Of course I knew. I could never forget your birthday."

"Well, that makes one of us," she giggled. "Caroline had to remind me. Ugh, I should probably let her know not to expect me tonight."

"As much as I'd love nothing more than to continue holding you in my arms like this, I need to get in touch with Rebekah to find out what sort of progress she's made in the search for the cure," he sighed.

They rolled out of bed and redressed before heading back into the parlor. Cassandra headed over the couch where she'd left her purse and dug out her phone. She turned on the screen and was pleasantly surprised to see the new email notification displayed in the corner. She tapped on the email icon to open her inbox and let out a soft gasp when she saw the new mail was from Gary Stanton, the editor she'd sent her resume off to a couple of weeks back. Her heart began to pound inside her chest as she opened the email and began to read it.

 _Hello Cassandra,_

 _I was very pleased to receive your resume and writing samples after hearing all about you from my good friend Elliot Baurson. I would love to schedule an interview and meet with you in person as soon as possible to go over the particulars of the column itself and hear more about what you would bring to the table if you joined our staff. We will cover your travel expenses, so you need not worry about that. Please let me know if the Monday, 4/25, will work for you so we can get everything booked and set up._

 _Looking forward to meeting with you!_

 _Gary Stanton  
_ _Editor, New Orleans Gazette  
_ _2210 Baronne St, #5126  
_ _New Orleans, LA 70012  
_ _Phone: (504) 555-8913 ext. 209_

She couldn't believe her eyes and had to reread the email a second time to make sure she'd understood it correctly. Gary Stanton wanted to interview her! Her fingers shook with excitement as she punched in a reply to the email., accepting the invitation. She couldn't wait to share her exciting news with her mom and Caroline.

She spun around to tell Klaus and found him standing in front of the fireplace holding his phone up to his ear. She walked over to join him clutching her phone in her hand. He turned toward her and instantly snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her against him.

"Big brother," Klaus's lips curled up into a giant grin at the sound of Elijah's unexpected voice on the other line. "At last you join the fray."

From where she was standing, she could hear Elijah's voice coming through from Klaus's phone. "Somebody had to take charge. And now that I have, I've got the cure and I'm bringing it back to Mystic Falls."

She and Klaus shared a surprised look at this startling good news. "With a long list of demands I assume."

"Not that long."

"Come home. We'll settle this like family," Klaus chirped in a softer voice. He ended the call and let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Did I hear that right? Elijah has the cure and he's bringing it here?" Cassandra stared at him curiously.

"Indeed. There will be much to discuss once he and Rebekah arrive." Klaus gave a small nod of his head. He set his phone on top of the fireplace mantel and brought his now empty hand to rest against her waist.

"Rebekah," she groaned softly. "She's not going to want the cure to go to Silas."

"No, she's not," Klaus agreed. "Which is why I'm going to need your help to convince both of them that it's in all of our best interests to see to it that Silas gets what he wants."

She wasn't sure how much help she'd be, but after witnessing what Silas put Klaus through, she knew she had to at least try, lest Silas decided to turn his sights on her or anyone else she cared about. "I'll do what I can."

"Good," he smiled at her. He reached towards her with the hand he had previously placed on her waist and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "You know what? I don't think I thanked you for helping me tonight. Thank you."

"You're welcome," she grinned.

"One more thing, for clarity's sake," he paused and took her free hand into his and laced their fingers together. "Am I correct to conclude that you are finally giving me a second chance?"

"I don't know," she bit the corner of her lip. "Are you gonna let Tyler come back into town?"

Not anticipating her remark, Klaus let out a slow breath and tightened his jaw as he stared at her, remaining silent.

"Yeah, I figured as much," Cassandra nodded. "Had to try for my sister's sake."

"You might have noticed…I'm not exactly scouring the earth for him, am I?"

A soft laugh bubbled inside her chest. "No, I suppose you're not. To answer your question, yes. Consider this your second chance. Just don't go doing anything to screw it up or you're outta luck 'cause I don't do third chances."

"Don't worry, love. I have no intentions of losing you again," he pressed his forehead against hers.

"Good," She gazed into his eyes. He started to lean into to kiss her, but before he could she moved her head to the side. When she turned back toward him, she had to fight not to burst into laughter over the confused expression written on his face. "Oh gosh. I wasn't rejecting you. I just had something else I wanted to tell you, and if I let you kiss me I'll just end up being distracted."

"Is that all?" Klaus shook his head, chuckling softly. "Go on, then. Tell me whatever it is."

She took a deep breath and began to tell him about the job opportunity that all but fell in her lap earlier that month. "The day that I showed up here unannounced and we ended up in bed together, earlier that afternoon I received an email from my old college mentor. An old friend of his is an editor for a newspaper and told him about a position that had recently opened up, a small column writer. My mentor, his name is Eli, showed him some of my old work, and said his friend was really impressed. So on a whim I sent off my resume and a few more writing samples to him. Just now, while you were on the phone with your brother, I received an email from the editor. He was really impressed and wants to meet with me for an interview!"

"That's fantastic, love."he smiled at her.

"The thing is," she paused and bit her lip. "It's...the newspaper isn't local. It's located in New Orleans, Louisiana."

"Ah, the Crescent City," he hummed. "It's a beautiful place. My siblings and I lived there for a time."

"Really? I never knew that."

"Yes. It was one of the few times we were truly happy. But then Mikael tracked us down, forcing us to flee the city. We haven't been back since."

"How long ago was that?"

A little over a hundred years ago."

"Wow," Cassandra whispered.

"I must admit I wish I could accompany you, but with Elijah and Rebekah returning town with the cure, I must remain here," there was a twinge of sadness in his voice.

"Well, if this job pans out, you'll just have to come back with me and help me house hunt. Then you can show me your old stomping grounds as it were."

Klaus's face brightened as a laugh bubbled in his chest. "I look forward to it."

They talked for a little while longer about New Orleans until she decided she needed to head home so that she could share her news with her mom and sister. She could sense his reluctance to let her leave so soon now that he had her back and did her best to reassure him that she would return.

They shared one last deep kiss outside her car before she climbed in and began the drive home. She was eager to tell her family all about her exciting news, not knowing that this simple little trip for a job interview would wind up rocking her world and turning it upside down in a way no one on this earth thought to be possible.

* * *

 **Yes, it's true. They finally confessed their love for each other. Are you guys still breathing? Heh, I had fun sitting on that plot bunny all this time. Now Cassandra gets to go to New Orleans. I know you all know what's going to go down while she's there. I can't wait for you guys to read it. I'll let you know now that I've split it into two chapters because I didn't want to do to one 10K chapter. That's just too long in my opinion. Anyway, that's what's coming next week. Stay tuned! And thanks again as always for reading and leaving comments. I love you guys!**


	32. A Hybrid Sized Bombshell

**Thank you guys so much for all of the amazing things you had to say after reading the last chapter! I wanted to address something I saw that came up. To put all of you at ease, in the sequel there will not be any Klamille, so you don't need to worry about a love triangle there. I'm exploring a Cass/Cami friendship instead, because I think they'd be really good friends. I'm super excited to see how that develops. With that said, here it is. Cassandra's trip to New Orleans! I had so much fun researching the city in preperation for writing this chapter. Every street name, landmark, and hotel name you see are legitimate places. Aside from Rousseau's, which is canon yet fictional, any other business establishments I made up. I can't wait to hear what you guys think. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 32 - A Hybrid Sized Bombshell**

"Ladies and gentlemen, as we begin our final descent into New Orleans, please make sure your seat backs and tray tables are in their upright and locked positions, and your seat belts are securely fastened. Small portable electronic devices may continue to be used in airplane mode, but must be secured for the duration of the flight. Please ensure all carry-on items are under the seat in front of you or in an overhead bin. Flight attendants will be making one last pass up and down the aisles to collect any trash. The current local time is 4:26 PM and it is 77 degrees. Thank you again for choosing to fly with Delta Airlines." The sound of the flight attendant's voice rang out through the airplane cabin.

Cassandra stared out of the plane window, excitement swirling around in her stomach as she gazed at the huge city below. She could hardly wait to be on the ground so she could explore. The flight itself had been easy and smooth, something she was grateful for. She gripped her phone tightly in her hand knowing the moment the plane touched down she'd be shooting off messages to let everyone back in Mystic Falls know she made it safe and sound.

Fifteen agonizing minutes later the plane was finally on the ground taxiing in at the New Orleans International Airport. The chatter between passengers was low in volume while everyone waited for the aircraft to reach the assigned terminal. Cassandra used the time to send texts to her mom, sister, and Klaus. She would call them later, once she was settled in at her hotel. A few more minutes went by before everyone was finally able to get out of their seats and get their belongings out of the overhead bins. She had to wait until there was room for her to move into the aisle before she could grab her small suitcase.

She thanked the attendants as she passed by them and headed out into the terminal. She followed the signs leading her to the exits. Seeing the large groups of people waiting around the baggage claim carousels made her extremely glad she only had the one small suitcase. She took a deep breath and walked through the automatic doors to the sea of crawling cars outside. She dug out the e-ticket for the airport shuttle that had been included in the email from Gary Stanton with her travel itinerary and jumped in line behind a small group of people. She handed her ticket to the driver so he could scan it, and then headed onto the white bus that would take her straight to her hotel. After grabbing an empty seat she pulled her phone out of her purse and called Klaus. He picked up after the second ring.

"Hello, love," he answered in a warm voice.

"Hey. I'm on the shuttle bus now. Should finally be at the hotel within the hour," she told him. "I'm glad the Newspaper set me up with this. The line for cabs is insanely long."

"I would have made sure you had a driver waiting for you if need be," Klaus reassured her.

"Of course you would have," she chuckled. A beep sounded in her ear, prompting her to pull her phone away for a moment to check the screen. She had a new email from Gary Stanton. She quickly opened it and skimmed through the contents before resuming her phone call with Klaus. "Wow. So I just got an email from the editor I'm supposed to meet with tomorrow. He had to push back the interview to Friday due to some unforeseen circumstances. He didn't go into specifics. What am I gonna do now?"

"Oh, I think we can come up with a few things you can do," he chuckled. "In fact, I'll tell you what. By the time you wake up tomorrow I'll have a list for you of sights to see."

"I'm gonna hold you to that," she grinned.

They continued to talk until all of the seats on the shuttle were full. Not wanting to be rude to other passengers by being on the phone, Cassandra promised to call him back after she got checked in at the hotel and ended the call.

She stared out of the window as the shuttle drove off and carefully made its way through the throngs of traffic. There wasn't a lot to see until they were a lot closer to the downtown districts. When the first tall skyscrapers came into view she felt a flutter stir in her stomach. Part of her wished the shuttle would slow down a little so she could take it all in. She had to make do with the short stops at the various hotels, using the time while other passengers made their exits to admire the beauty around her.,

"Next stop the Hotel Monteleone," the shuttle driver called out over the intercom system.

That was her stop. She sat up straighter and gripped her purse and suitcase handle tightly. When the shuttle came to a stop in front of a gorgeous ten stories tall building with gold metal framed glass doors her eyes nearly popped out of her head. The pictures she'd looked at didn't do it justice. She quickly made her way off the shuttle, making sure to thank the driver, and continued to gawk at the structure in front of her as she made her way inside. She couldn't believe the paper Gary Stanton worked for booked her a room in this fancy pants place. She was definitely going to enjoy her stay here.

It wasn't much longer before she was finally opening the door to her room on the fifth floor. She stared in awe at the simple elegance of the small room. She pulled out her phone and snapped some pictures to send her sister. When she stood in front of the window, her breath caught in her throat as she stared at the view of the city below.

"Oh wow," she let out a dreamy sigh. Grinning, she snapped another photo and added it to the ones she'd already sent. Then she sent it to Klaus with the caption, _Wish you were here with me!_

Out of nowhere her stomach decided to give an embarrassing loud growl, awaking her to the realization that she was starving. Using her phone she did a search on the nearby places to eat and was blown away by the results. She thought about asking Klaus for a recommendation, but she quickly realized she was feeling adventurous and wanted to find a place to dine at on her own. She grabbed her purse, double checked that she had her room key, and headed out to explore the city.

It was still light out, so the night crowd wasn't in full swing yet. She could make out the faint sounds of jazz music in the air, and it made her smile. As she walked from block to block reading the different shop names, the incredible smells permeating the air made her mouth water. Everything sounded delicious, which made it even harder to choose a place to eat at. She came to a stop at a corner and pulled out her phone. She had caved and decided to call Klaus for help, but before she could actually dial his number, the most tantalizing and heavenly aroma of meat and spices danced past her nose. She followed the scent and found it was coming from restaurant and bar directly behind her called Rousseau's. A couple had just left, so the door was still partially open. She wasn't sure what it was that smelled so divine, all she knew was she absolutely had to have it.

She caught the door just before it closed and pulled it open. Once inside, the aroma was even stronger and more mouthwatering than ever. She saw a few empty seats up at the bar and casually walked over, sliding into one of them. She was greeted less than a minute later by a blonde bartender who looked to be around her age.

"Hi, welcome to Rousseau's. What can I getcha?" The bartender had warm and friendly smile on her face.

"Whatever it you have cooking back there that smells so incredible," Cassandra all but started to drool at the thought of it.

"That would be the gumbo." The bartender laughed. "Our chef, Sophie, just finished making a fresh batch."

"I'll have a bowl of that, then," Cassandra made a split second decision. .

The bartender scribbled the order down on a notepad. "Anything to drink?"

"Oh. Hmmm, a beer sounds good, Whatever's on tap."

"Coming right up. My name's Camille, Cami for short. If you need anything else, don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks. I'll remember that."

A couple of minutes later Cami returned with the beer Cassandra had ordered and placed it on top of a napkin in front of her. Cassandra thanked her and picked it up take a sip. As she was licking her lips she felt her phone buzz from inside her purse. She pulled it out and found a new text message from Klaus waiting for her. _Elijah is giving the cure to Rebekah! He cares not about the torment I will endure from Silas as a result._

"Oh no," she let out a glum sigh.

Cami had been standing a foot away and eyed her, slightly alarmed. "Everything okay?"

"Huh?" Cassandra looked up from her reply to Klaus. "Oh. Yeah. Everything's fine. It's my...er...the guy I'm seeing. He was trying to strike up a negotiation with his older brother for something and his brother ended up siding with their younger sister instead. Anyway, I imagine he is sulking around in a foul mood right about now. He tends to get pretty agitated when things don't go his way."

"Sounds like he has some acceptance issues," Cami mused. Cassandra eyed her confused, which made Cami shake her head slightly for what she'd just said. "Sorry. Bartender with a psychology degree."

"Oh gosh," Cassandra began to laugh. "Makes perfect sense. You must get a lot practice in when you're on the job here."

"Yeah, I guess I do."

"At least you're actually putting your degree to use. Me, not so much."

"What's your degree in, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Journalism. I'm here, here in the city, for an interview actually."

"Oh, yeah. That's a tough profession to get started in. Congrats on the interview though. That's progress."

"Thank you. It is. I'm not keen on having to relocate if I get the job, but if it's what I have to do, it's what I have to do," Cassandra sighed.

Cami nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. She returned a minute later with a bowl on a try and set the bowl down in front of Cassandra. "Your gumbo. Enjoy. So you're not from around here."

"Oh wow, that looks even better than it smells," Cassandra gawked at the bowl in front of her. She carefully took a bite, sighing in delight as she swallowed. "God that is good. Mmm, so, yeah I'm from this tiny town in Virginia. I went to college in Richmond, though, so being here isn't too terrifying."

"That's good," Cami smiled. "Well, I'm going to leave you alone so you can eat in peace."

Cassandra nodded and put another spoonful of gumbo into her mouth. As she savored the delicious flavors of spices and vegetables mixed with pieces of meat, she finished composing her text to Klaus and sent it. She thought about talking to Rebekah for a moment, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized she couldn't do it. She knew how badly Rebekah wanted to be human and didn't have in her to jeopardize that.

"I'm sorry, Klaus," she mumbled under her breath as she tucked her phone back into her purse and resumed eating her dinner.

"What was that?" A dark brown haired girl appeared behind the bar.

"Oh," Cassandra blinked in surprise and shook her head. "Sorry. Just mumbling to myself."

"Don't even worry about it. Happens more than you know," the girl smiled. "My name's Jane-Anne. Cami went on her break, so I'll be filling in for her. Let me know if you need anything."

"The recipe to this gumbo," Cassandra grinned. "It's incredible!"

"I'll be sure to let my sister know. She'll be happy to hear it," Jane-Anne smiled back at her.

Cassandra's eyes widened in surprise. "Your sister's the chef? Woah!"

"Mmm hmm. I keep telling her she should open her own restaurant, but she says she's happy here."

"As long as she's happy, right?"

"That's right."

Their conversation dwindled down as new customers came in to the bar. Cassandra paid for her meal after she'd finished and left Rousseau's feeling incredibly content. When she got back to the hotel she made herself comfortable on the bed and video called her mom and sister. They were disappointed to hear her interview had been pushed back to the end the week, but tried to remain optimistic. "

"Ugh! I was hoping you'd be back to go prom dress shopping with me," Caroline grumbled.

"Just send me pics, Care. I can still tell you what I think," Cassandra suggested.

"Oh, good idea," Caroline smiled.

Eventually they had to end their chat. Caroline had school in the morning, and their mom had to work. After saying goodnight and ending the call, Cassandra took a shower and got ready for bed. It wasn't terribly late, so she decided to watch some TV until she was ready to go to sleep. Tomorrow was another day, and she couldn't wait to see what it had in store.

True to his word, she woke up in the morning to find a list of places worth viewing waiting for her on her phone from Klaus. She opened her suitcase to figure out what to wear and realized she only had one other causal outfit in addition to the outfit Caroline had picked out for her to wear to the interview. _Gonna have to do some clothes shopping before I play tourist today,_ she decided as she grabbed the capris and cotton t-shirt from the suitcase.

Once she'd eaten the hotel's complimentary breakfast she headed out in search of some inexpensive clothing stores. By lunch time she'd acquired a pair of faded shorts, another pair of capris, and a couple of t-shirts she'd found for under ten bucks each. She was, all in all, pleased with herself for not going crazy because she had seen a ton of cute tops and bottoms while she was shopping.

She had lunch at a little French café, and afterwards decided to visit some of the places on Klaus's list. She dropped her bags off at her hotel before heading over to Jackson Square. On her way, the overwhelming smell from a nearby bakery sucked her in. Inside, she was opened up to the world of one of the most delicious pastries she'd ever had—beignets. She left the bakery with a bag of the tasty French pastry in one hand and an iced coffee in the other.

She munched and sipped as she walked along Chartres St towards Jackson Square. She became so engrossed in the shop windows as she passed by them that she wasn't watching the path in front of her very closely and ended up colliding with an unsuspecting passerby. The jolt caused her drink to slip out of her hand and crash onto the ground, spilling everywhere.

"Oh my gosh!" She yelped in surprise and knelt down to pick up her now empty cup and lid. "I am so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going."

"Hey, it's okay. Accidents happen," a warm and friendly voice replied back. She looked up to see a dark skinned man with a short buzz cut and goatee smiling at her. "I should be the one apologizing. I made you spill your drink."

"It's no big deal. I was almost finished with it anyway," Cassandra replied with a smile of her own.

"Well, at least let me buy you another one."

"That's really not necessary, but.."

"Please. I insist," he interrupted.

She thought about it for a second and slowly nodded her head. "Okay, sure."

"My name's Marcel," he introduced himself as they resumed walking down the street. He motioned with his head to the two men walking beside him. "And these are my friends Thierry and Diego."

"Cassandra," she shook his hand and gave a nod to his two friends. They flashed her friendly smiles in return.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Cassandra. Forgive me for being a little..overzealous, but I know all of the locals around here, and I've never seen you before."

"Yeah. I'm from a tiny town in Virginia. There's a chance that could change, though, if the job I'm after here in town pans out," she answered.

"Ah, small town girl," he grinned. They stopped at a coffee shop a couple of blocks away from Jackson Square and got in line. "Well I hope things work out for you."

"Thanks. Me too."

"Hey. I know we just met, but I wondered if you'd want to come to a party I'm hosting tonight. There'll be music and dancing, tons of food to eat, and a lot of really fun, really cool people."

"Oh. I..I don't…" She wasn't sure what to say. She didn't want to outright say no and hurt his feelings, but she didn't want to say anything that would give him false hope either.

Sensing her hesitation, he smiled and decided to let her off the hook. "I tell you what," he paused and grabbed a pen from the register counter and wrote an address on her hand. "That's where the party's gonna be. If you decide to come, great. If not, no hard feelings."

She stared at the writing on her hand for a moment and signed in relief before looking at Marcel again. "I will definitely consider it."

He bought her a replacement drink and walked with her to Jackson Square before heading off with his two comrades. She didn't give the party a second thought until she went to throw her iced coffee cup away a little while later and discovered the condensation from the outside of the cup made the address on her hand impossible to read. It was just as well because she hadn't really wanted to go anyway.

From Jackson Square she headed toward the river and enjoyed the view from the lookout point. She went on a walking tour which covered more of the darker aspects of the Quarter. She couldn't help but wonder if there was any truth behind the stories they used to spook the tourists. Given what she knew about the supernatural world, she figured the answer was a resounding yes. By the time she returned to the hotel that night she was so exhausted it took only a couple of minutes for to fall fast asleep once her head hit the pillow.

-o-

Three Days Later

"Third time in here this week," Jane-Anne reached for a bottle of wine on a shelf behind the bar and turned back to smile at Cassandra.

"I'm obsessed with the gumbo, Jane-Anne," Cassandra flashed her a smile from where she sat at the bar. "I can't get enough of it!"

"The old ladies in the ninth ward say my sister Sophie bleeds a piece of her soul into every dish," Jane-Anne walked over and added some more wine to Cassandra's glass.

"You know what else I can't get enough of?" Cassandra paused and swallowed another spoonful of gumbo. "Beignets. I had no idea something so sinfully delightful existed."

"That's the French Quarter for you. Great music, fabulous food. You know what?" Jane-Anne walked over to the end of the bar and pulled a tourist map out of one of the lower drawers. She walked around to where Cassandra was seated and stopped beside her. She laid the map on the bar counter and circled a couple of points within walking distance using a pen she'd also grabbed. "If you really want to try some of the best cuisine New Orleans has to offer, go check out those places. I guarantee you won't regret it."

"I am so there!" Cassandra nodded eagerly. "Thanks!"

She quickly shoveled the last bit of gumbo into her mouth and slapped some cash on the table to cover her lunch.

"Have fun," Jane-Anne lightly patted her shoulder. Cassandra flashed her a smile and headed out to do some more walking around. Once she was gone, Jane-Anne turned her head toward the side of the room where her sister Sophie was standing chopping vegetables. They shared a glance, then Jane-Anne looked down at the strands of blonde hair she held between her fingers—Cassandra's hair.

Later, the two sisters made their way through an old cemetery to where a low wooden table was that served as an altar.

"Don't do it," Sophie begged. "Please. What if I'm wrong about her."

"That's the beauty of you. You're _never_ wrong. She's the only way we're gonna get to Klaus," Jane-Anne was adamant about going ahead with their plan.

"Can we get someone else to do the spell?" Sophie asked.

"Who?" Jane-Ann knelt down in front of the table and poured salt crystals into a plate. "Half the witches don't believe you. The other half is too scared."

"Because they know we're gonna get caught, Jane-Anne!" Sophie blurted out.

"We don't have any other options, Sophie," Jane-Anne rose to her feet and took her sister by the hands. "Now, go. You know what you need to do."

-o-

On the advice of Jane-Anne, Cassandra used the map to check out the circled restaurants later that night for dinner. They didn't disappoint. Stuffed from a delicious po-boy and tired from the amount of walking she'd done that afternoon and evening, she decided it was time to head back to the hotel. She used the map so she wouldn't get lost and made the trek back. When she was a block away from the hotel, the map burst into flames right in her hand. She yelped and immediately dropped it on the ground, stomping on the flame to put it out. She looked around to see if anyone had noticed and let out a sigh of relief when she saw no one watching her. She picked up the remnants of the map and tossed it into a nearby trash can.

 _Well, that was weird,_ she shook her head and continued on her way.

When she got up to her room, she dug her key out of her purse and stuck in the slot to unlock the door. Normally there would be a beep to let her know the door was unlocked, but this time there was only silence. She tried again, and again nothing happened.

"What the…it worked last night," she groaned. Letting out an annoyed sigh, she turned around and began to head back to the elevator so she could take it back down to the lobby and ask the front desk for a new room key. She'd only taken a few steps when an explosion of pain rippled through her. She let her purse fall to the floor as she grabbed her head and cried out in agony. Her vision began to blur and her ears started to ring. She had no idea what was going on and it terrified her. The last thing she saw before she passed out from the pain was a bunch of figures moving towards her in the hallway. One of those figures belonged to Sophie who caught Cassandra just before her unconscious body hit the floor.

When Cassandra came to, she had no idea how long she'd been out or where she was. The first thing she noticed was that she couldn't move. She slowly opened her eyes and found she'd been tied to a chair in some little wooden house and was surrounded by dozens of white candles all arranged in some kind of formation, but they had yet to be lit. She tried to move her arms against the rope restraining her, but it was tied too tight and only dug into her skin. The door to the little house opened, causing her to jump in surprise. An older, dark skinned woman came in and walked over to her. She held a water bottle in her hand and twisted the cap off.

"Drink," she ordered, holding the bottle up to Cassandra's mouth. Cassandra obediently placed her lips against the ridge and swallowed. Once she'd had enough she shook her head to signal she was done. The woman recapped the bottle and left. She returned an hour later with a bowl of some kind of stew and fed her like she was a helpless baby. Her pleas to be let go went ignored. She even went so far as to warn them that if Klaus didn't hear from her for an extended period of time he was going to know something was wrong and he would come looking for her. That seemed to get the woman's attention, but all she did was dig Cassandra's phone out of her purse and slip it into her own pocket.

The same pattern of food and water, with the occasional bathroom break, continued, but for how long Cassandra couldn't say. Her only way of keeping track of the time was the sun. She knew she'd been taken in the evening, but she had no idea how long she'd been unconscious For all she knew, an entire day could have passed by the time she woke up.

On what she figured was her third or fourth day in captivity, a familiar face came into the tiny wooden house—the chef from Rousseau's. Following behind Sophie were a group of people Cassandra had never seen before.

"It's Sophie, r..right?" She asked in a shaky voice. "What do you want with me?"

Sophie didn't answer, instead focusing on a bowl of what looked like herbs to Cassandra. She watched as the brunette mixed the contents together and carried the bowl over to where Cassandra sat. Sophie rubbed her fingertips in the herbs and placed her hands on either side of Cassandra's head. She started to chant something that Cassandra couldn't understand, though she knew enough to know it was some sort of spell.

The next thing Cassandra knew, images—memories of her most intimate moments with Klaus—were flashing through her mind. Sophie was inside her head! She had no idea why they couldn't just ask her if she'd slept with Klaus or why they even needed to know such a personal fact in the first place. Once Sophie had seen enough, she removed her hands, and the memory flashes stopped.

"What the hell?" Cassandra gasped for breath, glaring at Sophie.

"I needed to make sure I was right, and I am," Sophie told her as she cleaned up her hands.

"How can you be certain?" A voice asked from somewhere in the room. Sophie looked over to address them.

"Jane-Anne's spell for one. Plus the tests we did yesterday, and just now I saw her memories of sleeping with Klaus with my own eyes. What more do you need?" Sophie's voice was full of irritation at being doubted.

"Fine. We believe you," the unknown person answered.

"Uh, hello?" Cassandra called out, not bothering to hide her annoyance at being talked about like she wasn't there. "Is anyone going to tell me why my mind was invaded just now?"

Sighing, Sophie moved over so Cassandra could see her face. "You're pregnant with Klaus's child."

Cassandra blinked, unsure she'd heard that right. "I'm what now?"

"You're pregnant," Sophie repeated. She turned to the other people in the room. "Get her up. It's time to head back to the Quarter."

"But…that's impossible. Vampires can't have kids," Cassandra shook her head as the ropes that bound her to the chair were loosened and she was pulled up to her feet.

"But Klaus is no ordinary vampire, right? He's a vampire/werewolf hybrid," Sophie told her. "I don't have time to explain right now."

"But I still don't.." Cassandra trailed off as Sophie walked on ahead. Though she wasn't restrained, Cassandra was surrounded by people, witches, on all sides. They brought her to a cemetery and forced her to sit silently on a stone slab. She could hear Sophie's voice from the other side of the tomb they were waiting by, but she couldn't quite make out what she was saying or hear who she was speaking to.

Only a couple of minutes passed before Sophie yelled for them. "Bring her out!"

Cassandra slowly walked around the corner surrounded by the four witches that were guarding her. When she looked up, her heart nearly stopped inside her chest as she laid eyes on the person Sophie was talking to.

"Elijah!" She whispered, her eyes widening. His jaw tightened as he made eye contact with her.

He slowly turned his head to Sophie and spoke in a calm voice. "Give us a moment, please."

Sophie nodded and motioned for the witches and Cassandra to follow as she led Elijah to a candlelit mausoleum where he could speak to Cassandra in private. He waited until they were alone before turning to speak to her.

"Are you all right? Have they harmed you in any way?" His eyes glossed over her as if to look for any noticeable injuries.

"I'm better now that you're here," Cassandra answered in a soft voice. She sat down on a squatty little table. "Is Klaus…"

"He's in the city yes. He got word the witches here were plotting against him and came to find out why." Elijah told her. "Have they been holding you here against your will?"

"Not here. They kept me in some wooden house out in the middle of nowhere. Did these weird witchy tests and went inside my head." She sighed. Elijah frowned, deeply bothered by this. "Elijah, I still don't understand how this is even possible. Vampires are dead. They can't have children."

He carefully took a seat beside her. "How much of our family history do you know?"

"Whatever you told Elena last year, she told Caroline, and Caroline told me. I never really broached the topic with Klaus because I got the sense it wasn't a topic he liked to think about. Can't say I blame him."

"I believe that when he broke the curse our mother placed on him and reactivated his dormant werewolf side, it unknowingly allowed him the ability to procreate."

"That's…" Cassandra started to shake her her head. "Wow."

"Listen to me," he took her hand and clutched it in both of his. "I will get you out of here and back to my brother."

She nodded silently as the door to the mausoleum opened and Sophie walked inside. Elijah stood back up and positioned himself in front of Cassandra as Sophie approached.

"What, precisely, is it that you want, and what does it have to do with this young woman?" Elijah asked in a frighteningly calm tone.

"We want to run Marcel and his vampires out of town," Sophie answered.

Cassandra's eyes grew wide at the mention of Marcel's name. "Did…did you just say Marcel?"

Elijah's head snapped in her direction. "Why? You've seen him?"

"I bumped into a guy named Marcel my second day here. Like…literally bumped into him. He was with a couple of friends and…oh god. All three of them are vampires aren't they? He invited me to a party he was having that night, but I didn't go because I lost the address and.." She trailed off and buried her head in her hands, realizing exactly what the 'party' really was—a vampire all-you-can-eat buffet.

"Klaus is the key," Sophie continued, drawing Elijah's attention back to their conversation. "Everything Marcel knows about being a vampire he learned from Klaus. Marcel trusts him, looks up to him. He won't see the betrayal coming."

"Yes, well, as I'm sure you're aware, my brother Niklaus doesn't like to be told what to do," Elijah pointed out.

"It's why I brought you here," Sophie nodded. "Marcel drove the werewolves out of town decades ago. Cassandra may be human, but that baby she's carrying is part werewolf. Do you really think he's going to welcome a hybrid baby to the neighborhood? Convince Klaus to help us, and no one has to know about the newest member of the original family."

"That sounds remarkably like blackmail," Elijah tightened his jaw.

"Like I said, I'm desperate," Sophie reiterated her point.

Elijah's face broke out into a sinister smile. "Well, then, I have my work cut out for me, don't I?"


	33. Picking Up The Pieces

**Thank you guys so much for all of the incredible feedback on the last chapter. I can't believe there are only three chapters left after this one. I'm going to be sad when I go and change the status to complete...until I remind myself of the epic sequel I have. Do you guys want to know what it's going to be titled? I'll tell you...at the end of this chapter. Now, back to Cassandra, Klaus, and Elijah in New Orleans. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 33 - Picking Up The Pieces**

After reassuring Cassandra that he would return with Klaus, Elijah left the mausoleum to search for his younger brother. He found Klaus on an upper gallery balcony gazing out at the city.

"Evening, Elijah," Klaus greeted him without looking up.

"Niklaus," Elijah stared out at the city from a few yards back.

"What an entirely unwelcome surprise," Klaus slowly turned to acknowledge Elijah's presence.

"And what an entirely unsurprising welcome," Elijah turned toward Klaus. "Come with me."

Klaus turned back toward the balcony railing. "I'm not going anywhere. Not until I find out who's conspiring against me."

"I believe I just found that out for you."

Klaus slowly turned his head in Elijah's direction, eyeing him skeptically. Reluctantly, he followed Elijah back down to the street and walked beside him as they headed down the road. Confusion covered his face when they walked through the gates of Lafayette Cemetery where, unbeknownst to him, Cassandra was waiting with Sophie."

"What are we doing here?" Klaus asked.

"Want to know what the witches have in store for you?" Elijah told him as he led the way to the mausoleum. "Follow me."

Moments before their arrival, Sophie had the other witches escort Cassandra back outside so she could speak to Klaus and Elijah alone. She was waiting at the other end of the tomb when they opened the creaky iron gate and walked inside.

"Sophie Deveraux," Klaus was quick to notice her. "What is this?"

"He's all yours. Proceed," Elijah gave her the go ahead once they'd come to a stop a few feet away from her.

"You know you're famous in this town?" Sophie tilted her head slightly as she addressed him. He smiled smugly at her remark. "Witches tell bedtime stories about the powerful vampire Klaus. We know Marcel was nothing but an orphaned street rat until you made him what he is. And now he's out of control. He does what he wants. He kills who he wants. I'm gonna stop him…and you're gonna help me."

Klaus smiled, amused at her crazy notion that she could order him around. He licked his top lip as he turned to Elijah. "This is why you brought me here?"

"Hear her out," Elijah urged him.

"I don't need to hear her out," he held a hand up at Elijah as he turned back to Sophie. "I assure you, love, there is not a thing on this earth that will matter enough for me to waste even thirty more seconds of my time."

"Not even her?" Sophie nodded her head towards the gate they had entered through.

"Klaus…" Cassandra called out softly as she walked inside. Her heart was pounding wildly as he spun around at the sound of her voice. He vamp sped the remaining distance over to her, frightening the witches behind her in the process, and cupped her face.

"Are you all right, love?" He murmured softly. She placed a hand on top of his and nodded once.

"You need to listen to them," she told him calmly.

Klaus turned around to face Sophie, a menacing glare on his face. "Why is she here? Answer me _now_ , before I rip out each and every one of your hearts from your chest!"

"Marcel may be able to keep us from practicing real magic in this town, but as keepers of the balance, we still know when nature has cooked up something new," Sophie continued. "For example, I have a special gift, of sensing when a girl is pregnant."

"What?" Klaus whispered in disbelief.

"I know it's impossible," Cassandra's voice trembled. She had no idea how he was going to handle this. It wasn't something they had ever talked about.

He turned back to Cassandra, his eyes wide. "What are you saying?"

"Niklaus," Elijah's voice was gentle. Klaus shifted his gaze over to his brother. "Cassandra is carrying your child."

Klaus let out a shaky breath as he processed Elijah's words. He shook his head, unwilling to accept it. "No. It's impossible. Vampires cannot procreate."

"But werewolves can," Sophie chimed in. "Magic made you a vampire, but you were born a werewolf. You're the Original Hybrid, the first of your kind, and this pregnancy is one of nature's loopholes."

Klaus stared for a long moment at Sophie before spinning around and coming at Cassandra. "You've been with someone else. Admit it!" He yelled, pointing a finger at her. Elijah put a hand on his chest to hold him back.

"No! I haven't. I swear!" Cassandra cried out. "I've only been with you."

"My sister gave her life to perform the spell she needed to confirm this pregnancy," Sophie continued to speak. Klaus turned around again, scowling at her. "Because of Jane-Anne's sacrifice, the lives of this girl and her baby are now controlled by us. If you don't help us take down Marcel, so help me, Cassandra won't live long enough to see her first maternity dress.

"Wait..what?" Cassandra stared at her. This was news to her, and she didn't like it one bit. "No. Please…"

"Enough of this," Elijah was done putting up with the threats flying around. "If you want Marcel dead, he's dead. I'll do it myself."

"No. We can't," Sophie answered quickly. "Not yet. We have a clear plan we need to follow and there are rules."

At the mention of _rules_ something snapped inside Klaus. He tightened his jaw and narrowed his eyes as he slowly turned around to address Sophie with a low snarl. "How dare you command me!" He began to yell. "Threaten me with what you wrongfully perceive to be my weaknesses. I won't hear anymore lies!"

"Nicklaus," Elijah called out as Klaus started to leave the mausoleum. Klaus stopped and faced him. "Listen."

He slowly turned around and met Cassandra's eyes. At first she wasn't sure what Elijah meant by 'listen', but then Klaus looked at her stomach, and she knew. She instinctively placed a hand on top of her midsection and watched his face shift as he used his vampire hearing to listen to the baby's heartbeat inside of her. He met her eyes again as his lips parted slightly in a silent gasp of surprise. For a moment she thought she saw a tiny glimmer of joy in his eyes, but it was short lived as the scowl returned to his face and the joy was replayed with anger and denial.

He faced Elijah and Sophie. "Do whatever the hell you want with her and the baby. What do I care?" He growled in a low voice before storming out of the tomb.

Cassandra covered her mouth as a sob bubbled in her chest. She couldn't believe he'd just dismissed her like that. "No," she whispered, shaking her head over and over. "He can't mean that."

"No one touches the girl," Elijah told Sophie and the other witches as he started to leave. "I will fix this."

Cassandra watched as he disappeared into the night and sunk back against the mausoleum wall. She found some comfort in knowing Elijah would make sure she and the baby came out of this alive. She still couldn't wrap her mind around it. She almost stared to laugh aloud as she imagined the look on Caroline's face after hearing about this. She had no idea how she was going to break the news to her and their mother. Her mind continued to wander until Sophie's loud voice pulled her back into the present moment. She looked up to see Sophie addressing a group of witches, one of which was the older woman who had tended to her while she was being held prisoner.

"Marcel and his vampires are out of control. Something had to be done," Sophie waved her hands as she spoke.

"And the solution is to bring in more vampires?" The older woman placed her hands on her hips as she questioned the idea."

"These aren't just any vampires, Agnes. They're Originals," Sophie told her.

"What makes you think you can control the hybrid?" Agnes still had her doubts.

"She can't," Elijah's voice rang out. Cassandra gasped and looked around, spotting him leaning casually against the entryway. After a pause, he made his way inside, stopping once he was in the middle of everyone. "Not entirely certain that I can, either, but now that your coven has drawn his ire, I have a question. What prevents my brother from murdering you instead of cooperating?"

Sophie walked over to a brick ledge and picked up a dried branch full of pine needles. She plucked one of the needles and dropped the branch on the ground before using the needle to poke the palm of her hand.

"Ow!" Cassandra yelped in surprise at the pinch she felt in her hand. She looked down and saw a bleeding puncture wound in the exact same spot Sophie had pricked her own skin. She looked up at the witch. "What in the.."

"The spell my sister performed, the one that got her killed, it didn't just confirm the pregnancy. It linked me to Cassandra. So anything that happens to me happens to her, which means her life is in my hands."

A memory scratched at Cassandra's mind. She recalled Caroline telling her about an incident where Elena almost died during their junior year of high school because she had been linked to Stefan and Damon's crazy ex vampire-girlfriend Katherine Pierce. It was Bonnie who had been able to undo the linking spell. Cassandra realized she didn't have that option now. She didn't trust Bonnie and her expression magic after what had happened at the school in December. She felt her hope slowly slipping away at this revelation of being linked to Sophie.

"Klaus may not care about his own child, but it's very clear what it already means to you. If I have to hurt Cassandra or worse to ensure that I have your attention, I will," Sophie told Elijah.

He stepped toward her, a lightly amused smile on his face. "You would dare threaten an Original?"

"I have nothing to lose," Sophie shook her head. Elijah's smile faded. He knew someone with nothing to lose was not to be trifled with. "You have until midnight to get Klaus to change his mind."

He tightened his jaw and walked over to Cassandra. He gently took her hand and examined the puncture mark. He pulled a handkerchief out of his suit jacket pocket and wiped away the blood. It was a little strange to her, to see him acting so protective and caring toward her. They'd only met once, when she'd first became a house guest at Klaus's mansion the night of their mother's big ball. They'd barely said more than a casual hello to each other, and now he was fighting for her, though she knew Klaus was a huge reason behind it.

"I still can't believe this is happening," she whispered as she looked down at the ground.

"I won't let anything happen to you," Elijah murmured. He returned his handkerchief to his pocket and gave her hand a gentle squeeze. "I promise you I will get you out of here."

She nodded silently and squeezed his hand in return. He gave her a small nod before letting go and disappeared from the mausoleum. Cassandra let out a deep breath, wrapped her arms around herself, and did the only thing she could do—wait.

-o-

Klaus and Elijah sat silently on a bench side by side, staring out at the quiet city as it slept during the night. They had just finished going at each other in an all-out brawl over Klaus's behavior since learning of Cassandra's pregnancy, and Elijah was trying to get him to see reason.. He had been able to procure the body of Sophie's deceased sister Jane-Anne from Marcel and managed to keep the witches from harming her for the time being. Now, he was trying to get Klaus on board to help Sophie and her coven with taking down Marcel so that they would release Cassandra to him.

"This town was my home once, and in my absence, Marcel has got everything I ever wanted—power, loyalty, family. I made him in my image, and he has bettered me. I want what he has. I want it back. I want to be king," he spoke softly.

"There is one thing you have that Marcel does not, one thing he will never have," Elijah flashed him a casual glance.

"And what's that?" Klaus met his eyes.

"Cassandra. She loves you, in spite of all you've done. Marcel will _never_ be able to take that away from you," Elijah placed a hand on his shoulder. Klaus met his eyes as he thought carefully about Elijah's words.

"Tell Sophie Deveraux we have a deal. After all, every king needs a queen and an heir," Klaus's lips curled into a smile.

They lingered on the bench for a little while longer before going their separate ways. Klaus went to get back in Marcel's good graces and Elijah went to notify Sophie and retrieve Cassandra. She was so happy to see him again she all but ran into his arms. After going over a few things with Sophie regarding what needed of Klaus, Cassandra was finally free to leave with him.

Cassandra was grateful to be with Elijah once they'd made it outside the cemetery gates because she had no idea where in the city she was, and her phone battery was completely dead. Fortunately, Elijah knew the city forwards and backwards and led the way down the street. They came to a stop a few yards later in front of a shiny black Lexus.

"You have a car?" She eyed him curiously as he opened the passenger side door.

"It's a rental," he replied in a light tone. "Unless you'd prefer to walk the thirty blocks back to your hotel."

"Th…thirty blocks?" She gasped. She had no idea they were that far away. The thought of walking that distance given her lack of sleep and food was enough to make her head spin. "Driving sounds good."

He waited until she was seated to close the door and walked around the front of the car to the driver's seat. Once they were on the road, she settled into the seat and closed her eyes as the cool air conditioning blew against her face. She didn't realize she'd dozed off until Elijah was gently nudging her shoulder, letting her know they were at the hotel. She rubbed her eyes and slowly climbed out of the car.

"So this is the underground parking garage," she murmured, looking around.

"It is," Elijah nodded. "Come. The elevator is this way."

The ride up to the fifth floor was a silent one. She gave Elijah her room number and opened her purse to dig out her key. When they came to a stop in front of her door, Elijah held out his hand. She handed the key to him and had a memory flash of the last time she tried to use it.

"Oh. I was supposed to have the front desk issue me new key because that one wasn't…" She trailed off as Elijah inserted the key into the slot and pulled down on the door handle after a loud click sounded. "…working. But why would it randomly stop working one minute and then go back to working again later?"

"It must have been part of the spell Jane-Anne cast," Elijah spoke softly as he held the door open for her. Cassandra nodded in agreement as she walked into the room. She reached into her purse for her cell phone as she walked over to the bed and plugged it into the charger. Elijah paced around the room and stopped in front of the window. He stared out of it for a brief moment before turning around to face Cassandra. "I know it's late, but I was curious about something. With all that has happened, has anyone asked how you feel?"

"How I feel about what?" Cassandra asked as she sat down on the edge of the bed.

"About being a mother."

"Oh. I guess, I mean, I always thought one day, you know? After having a steady job and getting married. Although, that was before I met your brother. I never, ever, saw this coming."

"None of us did," He walked over and took a seat beside her. "I want you to know that you are not alone in this. You are the most important person in this family now, and I will always protect you. You have my word on that."

"Thank you, Elijah," Cassandra flashed him a weak smile. "That means a lot."

Wanting to get out of the clothes she'd been wearing for past seventy two plus hours, she rose to her feet and shuffled over to where her suitcase was against the wall. She knelt down and lifted the flap. Her eyes instantly landed on the folded up outfit she'd brought for her interview. She had planned to take it out sooner and hang it up so it wouldn't get too wrinkled, but getting kidnapped by a bunch of crazy witches kind of made that impossible.

"Elijah, what day is it?" She asked, keeping her eyes glued to her suitcase.

"Technically, it is Saturday now," he answered after taking a quick glance at his watch. "Why do you ask?"

"I missed my interview," she whispered, her voice trembling. She pinched her eyes shut and took a deep breath as a wave of sadness swelled inside of her. The last thing she wanted to do was start crying in front of him.

"Interview?" Elijah raised his eyebrows slightly.

"That's why I came to New Orleans in the first place. I had a job interview with an editor of the New Orleans Gazette. Originally it was scheduled for this past Monday, but it got pushed back to Friday and..." She paused to swallow the lump that had formed in her throat and choke back the tears that threatened to fall. "Now they probably think I just flaked out on them."

"Cassandra, I had no idea. I'm so sorry," he murmured, sighing sadly.

She gently ran her fingers under her eyes to wipe away any tears that were threatening to fall and turned around to face him. "I guess Klaus didn't tell you about that. He knew."

"No, he failed to mention it."

"It's just as well. Even if I had made it to that interview and they offered me the job, taking it would be out of the question now. It's too risky."

Elijah remained silent, further convincing her that she'd made a correct assumption. She walked back over to the bed and picked up her cell phone from the nightstand to see if it had enough battery juice to turn back on. She was met with the phone's logo screen as it powered up and let out a soft breath of relief. Once it had finished loading, she quickly browsed through her messages to see what she had missed. Her eyes nearly popped out of her head when she discovered a slew of messages to Klaus, her mom, and her sister that she had no recollection of sending. _So that's why he didn't come looking for me sooner. Those stupid witches used my phone to send messages so it looked like I was completely fine. God, I hate them!_ Her mind raced.

"It's late. You should get some rest. Tomorrow we'll get you checked out of here, and then I'll take you to an old family property we have outside the Quarter," Elijah's velvety voice calmed her angry thoughts.

"Slight problem with that plan, Elijah," she lowered her phone and looked at him. "There's nothing in it about when I get to go home."

She watched as he clasped his hands together and gazed back at her with a tightened jaw. "Cassandra, I thought it was understood, that you knew..."

Her eyes widened as she realized what he was implying. "Don't you dare tell me I can't go home!" she growled. "Don't. You. Dare. I will _not_ go from being a prisoner in a creepy cemetery to being a prisoner in a vampire controlled city!"

She realized she was shouting and snapped her mouth firmly shut. Before Elijah could say anything, she yanked her phone charger from the wall outlet and carried it along with her phone as she fled to the bathroom. She locked the door behind her and plugged the charger in so her phone could continue charging. She leaned over the sink, gripping the edges with her hands so tight they began to turn white, as she fought the urge to scream at the top of her lungs.

She took a few deep, calming breaths until her hands finally began to relax. She refused to accept that she couldn't return to Mystic Falls. Her family was there. Her life was there. If Elijah and Klaus wanted to stick around to sort out the vampire/witch drama that was fine with her, but it wasn't what she wanted for herself. She didn't even care that going home meant putting herself back into the path of crazy Silas. He'd gotten the cure. All that was left was for Bonnie to lower the veil to the Other Side. He didn't need her for anything. As long as she kept her distance from Bonnie until it all blew over she figured she'd be perfectly fine.

Resigned to taking matters into her own hands, she grabbed her phone from the counter and opened up the web browser to find the earliest flight possible to Virginia. As luck would have it, there was one flight scheduled to depart in a little over three hours, and she intended to be on it. She just had to figure out how to get around Elijah first, which was going to be next to impossible. _How does one give a thousand year old Original Vampire the slip?_

While she struggled to come up with a satisfactory answer, she quickly washed her face and brushed her teeth before packing up her bag of toiletries. After making sure she had everything, she grabbed her phone charger and phone and calmly left the bathroom. Elijah had been standing in the middle of the room and turned around when he heard the door opening. Cassandra ignored his presence and walked over to her suitcase to tuck her toiletries bag securely inside. She quickly repacked the rest of the contents of her suitcase and zipped it shut. All she needed now was her purse. It was on the bed, and to get it she had to walk straight past Elijah. She counted to three in her head and forced her legs to start moving. She could feel his eyes watching her every move as she reached for her purse and slipped her phone charger and phone inside.

"What are you doing?" He finally asked as she walked back over to her suitcase and pulled up the retractable handle.

She gripped the handle and slowly turned to face him. "There's a flight to Richmond leaving in a little over three hours, and I'm going to be on it."

"Is that so?" An amused smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

"Mmm hmm. Yup," Cassandra answered curtly. She turned on her heel and began to walk towards the door, pulling her suitcase along with her. Somewhere in the back of her mind she knew he'd probably stop her, but it still didn't stop her from jumping back in surprise when he whooshed and appeared in front of her when she was within arm's reach of the door handle. She folded her arms across her chest and gave him an icy stare. "Seriously? Come on, Elijah. Let me go!"

"I'm sorry. I can't do that," his voice remained soft.

"Please!" she begged. "My sister will be graduating from high school in a matter of weeks. I have to be there! If you're so hell bent on keeping me safe, then come with me. Give me this time with my family, and after Caroline's graduation I'll say my goodbyes, pack my things, and let you bring me back here to your family's property outside the Quarter for however long you deem necessary."

"Klaus would not approve of this."

"You think I care about what he thinks about anything right now? After the way he treated me in that cemetery? I really don't give a damn what he thinks."

"I see. Well," Elijah paused to think over her request a moment. "I did want to speak to Rebekah, and returning to Mystic Falls will allow me to do so directly. If I agree to this, I want your word that, should the witches find out I've taken you out of the city and threaten to harm you if you don't return, you'll come back here willingly at a moment's notice. Even if it means missing your sister's graduation."

She'd almost forgotten that she had been linked to a witch. She was going to have to pay close attention to her body over the coming weeks and be on high alert for any abnormalities that show up because of something happening to Sophie. Knowing this, there was only one thing she could do.

"Okay," she answered calmly, looking him directly in the eyes. "I give you my word that I will come quietly and willingly if it comes to that."

"Good. I will make the necessary arrangements for our departure. We'll leave after you've gotten some rest."

Cassandra could tell by the look in his eyes that this wasn't something that was up for discussion. She could feel the exhaustion from so many hours without sleep rolling through her, so she didn't argue. She gave him a simple nod and dragged her suitcase back to where it had been before. She opened it back up and pulled out her pajamas. Before disappearing into the bathroom to change, she paused and turned her head toward Elijah.

"Thank you for agreeing to do this for me, Elijah," she gave him a grateful smile.

"You're welcome," he smiled back.

* * *

 **I know a lot of you were hoping Klaus would react better. I thought long and hard about whether or not I wanted to keep this part of the canon story or completely change it, and ultimately I decided to keep it because it felt genuine. We all know how his temper causes him to speak without thinking sometimes. Keep that in mind, okay? That's all I ask. Okay, now, as I said I would do, is the title of the sequel: Crazy Wild Life! I wanted to continue the "crazy" theme. That's it. Next time, we'll see how Caroline and Elizabeth handle Cassandra's big news. Stay tuned!**


	34. Coffee and Mind Tricks

**Chapter 34 - Coffee and Mind Tricks**

Cassandra gazed out the car window at the familiar trees along the highway. She and Elijah were just a few miles outside Mystic Falls. True to his word, when she had awoken earlier that morning after getting some much needed sleep, he had procured a private plane to take them back to Virginia. After the 3 hour flight, they drove the additional two hours from Richmond to Mystic Falls.

She was grateful for the long drive because it gave her time to figure out what she was going to say to her mom and sister about everything that had happened in New Orleans. She opted not to tell them she was coming home, figuring they'd immediately want to know how the interview went, and she didn't want to have that conversation over the phone, even though it might have been the easier choice.

"You've been very quiet since we left the airport," Elijah's soft voice pulled her out of her endless thoughts. "Are you okay?"

"Oh. Yeah. I guess I'm still processing everything that's happened the past few days," she stared down at her hands while she spoke.

"That is quite understandable," he gave a slight nod of his head. "You..ah, hold that thought a moment while I take this."

She looked over at him and watched as he reached inside his jacket to pull out his phone. He glanced at the screen before tapping it with a finger and bringing it to his ear. "Niklaus."

Cassandra went back to staring out of the window as a sadness washed over her. The last words she'd heard Klaus say the previous day began to play on repeat in her mind. _'Do whatever the hell you want with her and the baby. What do I care?'_ She closed her eyes and took a slow deep breath. The last thing she wanted to do was start crying, especially in front of Elijah. She knew if she did, he'd ask her what was wrong, and she'd have to tell him. It was not a conversation she wanted to have, especially in a moving vehicle. She took another deep breath and opened her eyes again once she was certain she'd kept her tears at bay, turning her attention back to Elijah as he spoke her name to Klaus over the phone.

"Cassandra and I are just approaching Mystic Falls. She wanted to attend her sister's high school graduation. We'll be back in New Orleans at the month's end. I...one moment." Elijah paused and held his phone out to her. "He would like to speak to you."

Cassandra stared at his outstretched hand, a deer in headlights expression appearing on her face. She met Elijah's eyes and began rapidly shaking her head back and forth. She wasn't ready to talk to him, not after the hurtful words he'd said. Elijah nodded once and brought the phone back up to his ear.

"She does not wish to speak to you right now," Elijah told his brother in a dry tone. "I can't imagine why. No, I will not force her to. She will speak to you when she is ready. Until then, I shall respect her wishes. So will you. We're approaching town now. I'll be in touch."

"Thank you," she murmured once Elijah had pocketed his phone and gripped the steering wheel with both hands.

"You're welcome," he gave her the smallest of nods.

Ten minutes later they pulled up to the front of her house. Cassandra was relieved to see both her mom's police cruiser and Caroline's car absent from the driveway. Once they climbed out of the car, she dug around in her purse for her keys while Elijah retrieved her suitcase from the trunk.

"I am glad I left these in my purse," she dangled her set of keys as they walked to the front door. "Otherwise I'd have to climb through a window to get inside."

"Oh that would not be necessary. I'd have opened the front door for you, quite easily in fact," Elijah mused as they came to a stop.

"And you'd wind up owing us a new door, no doubt, in the process," she shook her head. She quickly unlocked the front door and pushed it open. She stepped inside and immediately skidded to a halt when Elijah was kept out by an invisible barrier. She spun around to face him. "Oh. Right. You still have to be invited in. Well, come in."

He smiled at her and took a step over the threshold into the house. "Thank you. Where would you like this?" He tapped the handle of her suitcase.

"Oh, I'll take it," she quickly reached out for it. He passed it to her and waited as she scurried down the hall to her room to drop it off. She returned a minute later with her phone in her hand. "So, this is where I live. I know it's a lot smaller than what you and your family are accustomed to, but…"

"It's lovely," Elijah smiled at her.

"Thanks," she smiled back. "Can I get you anything? Caroline keeps a healthy stock of blood bags in a small cooler in the garage if you're thirsty. We've got stronger stuff too."

"I'm good for now. Maybe later," he politely declined.

"Well, my mom won't be home for a few more hours. As for my sister, I was just about to find out what she'd be doing after school," she held up her phone. She went into the living room and sat down on the couch. Elijah joined her a moment later, watching her as she tapped out a text message to send to Caroline, letting her know she was back home. Her phone buzzed a couple of minutes later with a reply. _Oh! Yay! Can't wait to hear how everything went with the interview. I'm waiting in line at school to pick up my cap and gown for graduation. I'll be home as soon as I can!_ Cassandra smiled and sent a quick response before setting her phone on the little end table next to her side of the couch.

After updating Elijah, she disappeared into her room to unpack and start a load of laundry. Doing such a mundane task kept her nerves away as the minutes slowly ticked by. Eventually she rejoined Elijah in the living room where they carried on a casual conversation, though it was mostly him asking her questions to get to know her better.

A little over an hour later, Elijah's eyes darted toward the front door. "Your sister _and_ mother are here," he told her.

"Both of them?" Cassandra jumped to her feet and raced to greet them. Sure enough, both her mom and Caroline walked inside as she reached the doorway. There were squeals of joy and tight hugs as they saw each other.

"I called mom after getting your message and told her you were home," Caroline chirped excitedly.

"And I decided I could use the break from work. I told Caroline to let me know when she was headed home so we'd get here at the same time," Elizabeth finished.

"So? Tell us everything, Cass! What happened How did it go? Did they…." Caroline had been walking towards the living room and trailed off when her eyes landed on Elijah sitting at the couch. She spun back around to face Cassandra and their mother with a scowl on her face. "What's Elijah doing here? Why'd you invite him in?"

"Don't be mad, okay? We can trust him, I promise," Cassandra spoke calmly. "He's..well…he's my bodyguard I guess you could say."

"Why on earth would you need a bodyguard?" Caroline stared at her in confusion. "Did something happen while you were in New Orleans?"

"Yes," Cassandra nodded. "You both should sit down."

"But why…." Caroline trailed off. Her eyes widened as a horrible thought occurred to her. "Oh my god. You..you're not…you didn't…"

Cassandra blinked, not following her sister's train of thought at first. It only took a second for her to figure out what Caroline was getting at. "Oh geeze. I'm still human. It's nothing like that."

"Oh, thank goodness," Elizabeth sighed in relief. She ushered Caroline into the living room so they could sit down on the couch. Elijah stood off to the side so they could sit together. "Okay, sweetheart. We're sitting down, and we're all ears."

Cassandra nodded and took a deep breath as she sat down, facing them, on the trunk they used as a coffee table. "Okay. Here goes. I never made it to my interview, and the reason for that is because I was held hostage by a coven of witches for three days. Elijah saved me, but by the time he did, my interview slot had passed."

"What did the witches want with you? Was this some twisted ploy to lure Klaus there or something?" Caroline gawked at this unsettling news.

"I…um..wow, I knew this was going to be hard," Cassandra took another deep breath. "Okay, there is no easy way to say it so I'm just gonna come out and say it. I'm pregnant. Klaus is the father."

"But that's impossible" Carline stared in disbelief. "Vampires can't make babies."

"I know. But Klaus isn't just a vampire remember? He's also a werewolf. The witches said when he broke Esther's curse, it…it somehow gave him the ability to have kids. A crazy loophole." Cassandra explained.

"Oh, honey," Elizabeth reached out for her hand and gave it a squeeze.

"So you have the devil's spawn growing inside of you?" Caroline made a disgusted face. "Ugh!"

"Hey!" Cassandra snapped and threw her sister an icy glare. "This baby is also a Forbes. Don't you forget that!"

"Oh yeah," Caroline's face instantly softened. "I'm sorry, Cass. I just…this is insane. But I still don't understand Elijah's part in all of this."

"It's complicated. Um…." She trailed off and glanced over at Elijah, wondering if he should continue with this part of the recent events. He nodded and stepped forward.

"There's a vampire running things in New Orleans right now. He was something of a son to Niklaus once upon a time. My brother raised him from the time Marcel was not much older than ten. He taught him our ways. Turned him. We believed him to be dead by Mikael's hand, but we were sorrily mistaken. He has complete control over the entire city. The witches there are not allowed to do any magic, lest they want to be sentenced to death. They want his reign to end, and upon learning of this unborn child, decided to coerce my brother and me to assist by linking Cassandra to one of the witches," Elijah spoke in a calm voice.

"Oh my god!" Caroline clapped a hand over her mouth.

"What does that mean?" Elizabeth asked.

"It means," Cassandra took a deep breath, "That whatever happens to the witch I'm linked to happens to me. For example, she pricked her hand with a needle and I wound up with a puncture mark. It's the same thing Katherine did to Elena last year at the masquerade."

"Can Bonnie break the link?" Elizabeth glanced at Caroline.

"Sure she could, if she wasn't too busy dealing with Silas," Caroline sighed.

"Speaking of Silas," Elijah jumped into the conversation. "Cassandra's safety is of the upmost importance. The witches do not know we have left New Orleans. If they were to discover this…"

"Wait a minute," Elizabeth looked from him back to Cassandra. "Are you saying you'll have to go back?"

Cassandra gave a slow nod of her head. "Yeah, after Caroline's graduation. I had to beg Elijah to let me come here."

"Cass, you should have stayed put. Your life is a hell of a lot more important than my high school graduation," Caroline shook her head.

"Yeah, well, I'm here so..it doesn't matter now."

"Yes, you are. And we," Elizabeth cast a glance in Caroline's direction, "Will fully support you."

"Thanks mom," Cassandra whispered.

"Well, duh. Of course we will," Caroline laughed softly. She, Cassandra, and Elizabeth stood to their feet and wrapped each other in a tight group hug. "Now that heavy stuff is out of the way, tell me what the city was like? You had a few days of peace before all the chaos happened, right?"

"I did," Cassandra nodded and motioned for her mom and Caroline to join her on the couch where she told them about the incredible food she got to eat and the wonderful jazz music she got to hear.

-o-

The house was quiet when Cassandra awoke the following morning. She reached for her phone on her nightstand and turned it on. Along with the clock that read 9:18AM, she had a message from Caroline. _Morning!_ _Went over to Damon and Stefan's to see Elena. They're trying to torture her into turning her humanity switch back on. I'll call later. Hope you slept well your first night back._ Cassandra smiled and sent a quick message back before setting her phone down. She yawned and stretched her sleepy muscles before rolling out of bed.

After a quick trip to the bathroom she shuffled down the hall into the kitchen. She smiled at the sight of her beloved coffee pot with fresh coffee already brewed and grabbed a mug from the cupboard to fill. She warmed it up for twenty seconds in the microwave so it was hot and steamy, just the way she liked it. She slowly turned around, intending to head to the living room when she came face to face with Elijah.

"Ohmigod!" She gasped, clapping a hand to her chest. "Elijah. You scared me."

"You shouldn't drink that," he eyed her mug with a frown. "It's not good for the baby."

"You know, I think one cup won't hurt," Cassandra disagreed. There were a lot of things she would have no problem giving up for the pregnancy. Coffee was not one of them. "Just one."

She started to bring the mug up to her lips, but before she could take a sip he whisked it out of her hands and stepped around her, effectively placing himself between her and the coffee pot.

"I disagree.".

"Seriously? Elijah, come on. I need my coffee."

"You'll learn to live without it," he tried to reassure her. "Trust me, it's the best thing for you and the baby. Why don't you go take a seat and I'll make it up to you by making you a delicious breakfast."

"Yeah, I've suddenly lost my appetite," Cassandra grumbled. She turned around and stomped back to her room, shutting her door more loudly than necessary. She couldn't help it. She was peeved! She flopped on to her bed and grabbed her phone from her night stand. Her fingers tapped the screen frantically as she composed a message to her sister. _Elijah won't let me have any coffee! Please help me! I need my coffee!_ She hit sent and let her hand flop onto the bed. Her phone buzzed less than a minute later with a new message from Caroline. _No you don't. You'll be fine. Drink tea instead._

"Ugh!" She groaned out loud as she let her phone drop to the bed after reading the message.

There had to be a way for her to get what she wanted. Her only problem was the Original Vampire hanging out in the front of the house. She had no doubt he was listening to her movements and would know if she tried to sneak out. What she needed was a place he couldn't get to her to stop her. She jumped up to a sitting position when she realized she knew exactly where to go.

With renewed will and purpose, she climbed off the bed and quickly got dressed. She calmly left the confines of her room and went down the hall to the bathroom to brush her hair and teeth. When she was done, she went back to her room and picked up her purse. She tucked her phone inside, dug out her car keys, and slipped the straps over her left shoulder as she headed out to the living room. As expected, Elijah was standing by the little table against the wall near the front door.

"Where are you going?" He asked, eyeing her curiously.

"I left a couple of things over at Tyler's. I just wanted to go get them," she answered in a calm, no-big-deal voice. "You're more than welcome to come with me."

He nodded and walked over to the front door, opening it for her. She walked outside and headed straight to her car. Elijah climbed into the passenger seat as she started the ignition. The drive to the Lockwood Estate was quick. Once she parked in the massive driveway, she climbed out and began to walk to the front door with Elijah following closely behind. She stopped halfway up the walkway and knelt down to pick up a weird shaped rock from a small cluster placed in one of the planters. She showed Elijah it was hollow inside and stuck her fingers in to pull out a spare key to the house. She quickly replaced the rock in the planter and walked the rest of the way to the front door. She unlocked it and pushed it open, pocketing the key as she stepped inside. She paused, waited a full beat, then slowly turned around to face Elijah with a huge grin spread across her face.

"Oops. Did I forget to mention Tyler signed the deed to the house over to someone else. He wanted to make a sort of…safe house for me and Caroline," Cassandra told him. She was feeling quite smug and proud of herself. Elijah, on the other hand, was less than impressed, and it showed on his face.

"You'll have to come back out eventually," he replied in a casual voice as he folded his arm and leaned against the outer door frame.

"I know, but not until I get what I came here for," she spun around and skipped off toward the middle of the mansion where the kitchen was, coming to a stop once she reached the coffee maker on the counter. "There you are."

She went to work preparing the coffee so it could brew then sat on one of the kitchen bar stools and waited. Five minutes later the kitchen was filled with the delicious aroma of freshly brewed coffee. She grabbed a mug from one of the cupboards and filled it before carrying it back to the front of the house. A smirk hung on her face as she made eye contact with Elijah and brought the mug to her lips. She took a big sip, closing her eyes as she swallowed and savored the nutty flavor.

"Look, Elijah," Cassandra walked over to sit in a chair that was placed against the wall next to a huge painting in the foyer. "I get that you're looking out for me and I appreciate that, but it's my body. There are a lot worse things I could be ingesting that would be way more harmful than the amount of caffeine in one cup of coffee. Considering what I'm being asked to give up, i.e. my life here in Mystic Falls, I don't think it's asking too much to be allowed to have a cup in the morning."

"No, I suppose it's not," He let out a soft breath. "Very well. You may have your coffee."

"Thank you," she gave him a genuine, grateful smile. "And, hey, if my kid ends up being addicted to coffee just like me, I'll take full responsibility."

Elijah shook his head as a smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "As the saying goes, time will tell."

"Yes, it certainly will."

* * *

Caroline slowly blinked her eyes open. Laying sprawled out on the ground, she looked down expecting to see a wooden stake sticking out of her, but there was none. She placed a hand on her chest, sighing in relief. Her phone lay on the ground beside her and began to buzz. She picked it up, glancing at the missed calls from Matt on the screen, and quickly scrambled to her feet. The sun was long gone, making the surrounding woods seem particularly dark and creepy. She took off sprinting back towards the Salvatore house, using her phone as her source of light.

"Caroline!" Matt grabbed her shoulder as she ran past the side of the property.

"Ahh! Oh!" She squeaked in surprise and turned around face him. "Matt!"

"Where have you been?"

"We have to get out of here," she grabbed by the hand and turned to run.

"No, Caroline," he pulled her back. "Caroline, it's okay."

"No, it's not okay. Silas is out there. And he made me think that he was Klaus!"

"What are you talking about? What's Silas want with you?"

"He's trying to get to Bonnie," Caroline's eyes were wide with worry. "Do you know where Bonnie is?"

"If I knew where she was, I wouldn't bother with you," he grabbed Caroline by the throat. She gasped, realizing Matt was really Silas. "Now, get me Bonnie, or I'm going to kill someone. Maybe I'll start with your sister."

Caroline cried out as she pulled herself out of his tight grip and took off for the back staircase of the boarding house. She kept looking over her shoulder as she ran up the stairs, making sure she hadn't been followed. When she reached the top she found herself face to face with Silas again, only this time he was back to looking like Klaus again.

"No one in the house can help. You. Find Bonnie or I'll kill the people you love the most," he spoke in Klaus's perfect, velvety voice and pushed her down the stars. She let out a piercing scream as she tumbled down and landed at the bottom.

Using vampire speed she raced to her car and dialed Cassandra's number. She held her phone to her ear as she climbed into the driver's seat.

"There you are. I was beginning to wonder when you'd resurface from Project Flip Elena's Humanity Back on," Cassandra answered after the second ring.

"Cass! Tell me you're home," Caroline's voice was frantic as she buckled her seatbelt. "And that Elijah's with you."

"Yeah, I'm home. He's not here, though. He went over to Klaus's mansion to pick up a few things. Why? What's going on? Is everything okay?" Cassandra didn't fail to notice the worry in Caroline's voice.

"It's Silas. I need you to go lock all of the doors and windows right now."

"What?"

"Don't let anyone inside, not even me because I have a key so I can let myself in. Do you understand?"

"Caroline you're scaring me!" Cassandra's nerves began to rise.

"Just do it, okay?" Caroline snapped back at her. "I'm on my way."

"O..kay," Cassandra answered only to realize her sister had ended the call.

She got up from her spot on the living room couch and made a mad dash for the front door, twisting the lock into place. She checked all of the windows in the house to make sure they were locked as well, and began to pace around while she waited for her sister to arrive.

A few minutes later she nearly jumped out of her skin when she noticed a shadow coming toward the front door through the window. The familiar head of blonde hair belonging to her sister had her sighing in relief.

"Caroline, what's going on?" Cassandra began to walk towards her.

"Cass, don't come any closer," Caroline held up a hand. "Stop."

Cassandra froze in her tracks. "Why? What's wrong?"

"I don't know how to tell if it's really you," Caroline stared at her, horror stricken.

"You…you think I'm Silas," Cassandra whispered.

"What if this is another trick? He..He can get in my head and he would have known that I called you," Caroline rambled.

"Okay, Caroline. It's me, I swear," Cassandra spoke calmly. "It's your big sister. I don't know what's happening or why Silas is messing with you, but everything's going to be okay. All right? You just need to talk to me."

Still unsure, Caroline pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed Cassandra's number. A second later, Cassandra's phone rang from inside her pocket. She slowly pulled it out and answered it.

"Hi. How's it going?" She spoke casually, holding the phone to her ear. It was enough to convince Caroline, who quickly walked up to Cassandra and threw her arms tightly around her. Cassandra hugged her back just as tightly.

They pulled apart and made their way into the living room where Caroline explained why Silas was coming after her. Cassandra shook her head in disbelief. She knew she needed to call Elijah, but a part of her didn't want to because she also knew the second he learned Silas was after her he'd whisk her away faster than she could blink, and she wasn't ready to leave town yet.

"Bonnie hasn't called back yet," Caroline sighed softly a little while later. She fiddled with her phone while they sat on the couch. "I just don't understand why she hasn't called."

"I'm sure she…" Cassandra trailed off as a knock at the door drew their attention.

"Wait here," Caroline whispered as she rose to her feet.

Cassandra nodded, watching as she left to answer the front door. She stared down at her phone resting in her lap. After a long minute, she picked it up and dialed Elijah's number. She knew how upset he would be if she didn't tell him what was going on, and she didn't want to be on the receiving end of that. Letting out a long breath, she tapped her leg while she waited for him to answer.

"Hello, Cassandra." He answered after the first ring. "I apologize for taking longer than what I told you."

"Elijah, you need to get back over here," she couldn't hide the trembling in her voice.

"What's wrong?" His voice instantly shifted into a serious tone.

"It's Silas. He appeared to Caroline. He's looking for Bonnie and told her he'd kill the people she loves most, starting with me, if she doesn't find Bonnie for him," she whispered.

"I'm on my way. Stay on the phone with me until I get there."

"Okay. We'll have to figure out a way for you to prove….Klaus!"

She squeaked out his name, startled by his sudden presence in her living room

"Now, is that any way to greet the father of your unborn child," Klaus walked towards her. Before she could get another word out he grabbed her by the throat and pulled her off the couch. Her phone clattered to the floor as she grabbed onto his arm. She knew then, that it wasn't Klaus she was facing.

"S…Silas," she gasped barely above a whisper as he yanked her head to the side and bit her neck. It took seconds for her to succumb to unconsciousness.

In the front of the house, Bonnie was outside the front door, begging Caroline to let her in so she could help. Caroline didn't trust her own eyes after being tricked twice by Silas and was hesitant to let her in.

"He threatened my sister," Caroline told Bonnie as she cast a glance over her shoulder toward the living room where she knew Cassandra was.

"Caroline," Cassandra wandered into the foyer.

"Cass, just stay there," Caroline held a hand up.

Bonnie's eyes widened in horror, for she could see Silas's true form, and as she stared through the front door window, she saw that the person Caroline thought was her sister, was not Cassandra at all, but a black hooded figure—Silas.

"Caroline," Bonnie frantically jiggled the doorknob. "That is _not_ your sister."

"What's going on?" Cassandra asked in a worried voice.

Using a burst of magic, Bonnie made the front door fly open. Caroline looked from her back to her sister.

"Oh my god!" She gasped, terror stricken as the persona of her sister was replaced with the same hooded figure Bonnie saw.

"Did you really think you could hide from me, Bonnie?" Silas spoke in a low, menacing voice.

"I'm here now. What did you do to her sister?" Bonnie remained calm as she stepped inside the house and stood beside Caroline.

"She's right where you left her," he told them.

"Cass?" Caroline gasped and took off for the living room. She came to a stop in the entryway as her eyes landed on Cassandra's lifeless body laying on the floor. She ran over, dropping to her knees beside her sister. "Cass! Oh no! Oh god!"

She pressed her hand against Cassandra's bloody neck, feeling for a pulse. She could barely find it. She brought her wrist up to her mouth and bit into it before pressing it against her sister's mouth. "Come on. Please, please, please please. Cass. Open your eyes. You need my blood in your system so it can heal you. Come on. Cass, Cass! Please Cass wake up!"

"What happened?" Elijah appeared at her side out of nowhere.

"Silas…he attacked her. She isn't drinking my blood," Caroline cried out. "Wait. I know another way."

She vampire sped outside to her mom's police cruiser and came back with a big emergency medical dropped it on the floor and quickly dug out a giant syringe.

"Okay, this'll work," she took a deep breath and jabbed the needle into her neck, drawing her own blood into it. Once she had enough, she pulled it out and plunged it into Cassandra's chest, straight into her heart. "Cass? Open your eyes. Come on. You have to wake up. You have to see me graduate. You have to live so I can throw you the best baby shower the world has ever seen, and so I can be an aunt and spoil my future niece or nephew rotten."

While she cried over her sister, Elijah gently stroked the side of Cassandra's face, saying his own silent prayer. Caroline held one of her hands, so he reached for the other and held on to it, resting his cheek against it.

Cassandra's eyes darted open as she let out a loud gasp, startling both Elijah and Caroline. She coughed a few times until she could breath and blinked as the relieved faces of her sister and Elijah came into focus. Caroline pulled her up to a sitting position and engulfed her in a tight hug. Cassandra wrapped her arms around her, sighing in relief. They shared a long crying laugh.

"Wait…" Cassandra pulled away from Caroline abruptly. She turned to Elijah. "The baby…"

He stared at her intently for a long moment, then let out a resounding sigh. "The heartbeat is as strong as ever."

"Oh thank god," Cassandra let out a big breath. Elijah held out a hand to her, which she accepted, and helped her up to her feet.. "Are…you gonna make me leave town now?"

"Well, it appears Silas got what he was after—Bonnie. So long as she waits until after graduation to drop the veil to the Other Side, I see no reason to flee just yet," Elijah gave her a small smile.

Relief flooded through Cassandra from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. She was alive, safe, and would still be able to to watch her sister receive her high school diploma. "Oh, good."

"I'm gonna give mom a call and give her an update," Caroline waved her phone around.

Cassandra nodded and decided to go clean herself up and change her shirt. For a moment she thought about asking Elijah if he was going to tell Klaus what happened, but she quickly decided against it. He hadn't said anything about it, so neither would she.

* * *

 **I had a lot of fun getting inside Elijah's head for this chapter. He's a nice change of pace after writing for Klaus for so long. And, I hope you guys enjoyed Caroline's reaction to the baby news. I know you guys were excited about that. Hard to believe there only two more chapters left of this story. I still got a couple more tricks up my sleeve though, so don't you worry. Thanks as always for sticking with me. You guys are the best!**


	35. A Ghostly Visit

**Thank you guys so much for the comments on the last chapter. Only one chapter left after this. Then it's sequel time! I'm so excited to start sharing it with you guys. In this chapter Cassandra spends more time under Elijah's watchful eye and gets a surprise visit from an unexpected visitor. No Klaus in this chapter, unfortunately, but don't worry. He'll be back in the final chapter. I'll leave you guys with that to look forward to. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 35 - A Ghostly Visit**

The Day Before Graduation

The closet in Cassandra's room was completely barren except for the outfit she planned on wearing to Caroline's high school graduation, and a simple outfit for the for the day of traveling afterwards, the rest of her clothes having been folded and packed away in a suitcase that lay open on the floor by her dresser. She had decided to bring everything she had in her wardrobe to New Orleans even though none of it would fit her in a few short months. All she had left to grab were the everyday essentials, which she would add to her suitcase on the day she and Elijah were leaving town—the day after graduation. She could still hardly believe how fast time had gone by since she'd returned home to Mystic Falls with her Original Vampire bodyguard.

Not yet wanting to think about the emotional goodbye that was in her very near future, she shook those thoughts away and headed out of her room to the living room where Elijah was. He sat on one end of the couch reading a book. Cassandra flashed him a friendly smile when he looked up as she entered the room.

"All packed?" He asked her as she sat down on the opposite side of the couch.

"Pretty much," she nodded. She peered at the book in his hands. "' _The Count of Monte Cristo',_ I've never read that novel. I loved The Three Musketeers, though. Who doesn't love that story…or the countless movies that have been made?"

"Yes, Alexadre Dumas was quite the author in his time," Elijah smiled at her.

"Eighteen hundreds right?"

"Yes. Very good."

"Thanks. I have been known on occasion to retain the random piece of trivia pertaining to books and authors," she grinned. "I heard out of all the Mikaelson's, you have the best collection."

"Really?" Elijah's eyes were full of amusement. "I suppose that's true."

"The house you're taking me to in New Orleans, is any of your collection there?" She asked him.

"I do have a sizeable library there, one I'd be delighted to show you once we arrive."

"Really? Wow, that would be great. Finally, something to look forward to."

As soon as the words left her mouth she wished she hadn't said them. She could tell by the look on his face that he was reading deeper into the remark she'd made. He closed the book he held in his hands, placing it on his lap before folding his hands and resting them on top of the book.

"I know you don't wish to leave your family," Elijah spoke in a soft voice.

"It is what it is," Cassandra shrugged lightly. "I've already accepted that I have absolutely no control over the situation right now, nor will crying, kicking, and screaming help or change any of it. My mom and Caroline know that, too."

Elijah nodded in understanding. She could tell he wanted to say something else, but before he could she scurried away into the kitchen. The last thing she wanted to do was think about her departure. What she needed was something to take her mind off of it, and standing in the kitchen, she knew just what to do.

She opened up the cupboard where they kept the cookbooks and pulled out one containing the recipe for Caroline's favorite cake. She decided to surprise her sister with a cake for her graduation party. She set the open book on the counter and skimmed the ingredients list before rummaging through the pantry and refrigerator to make sure she had everything she'd need for it. Once she had all the ingredients on the counter she took out two big mixing bowls and went to work measuring out ingredients before getting started on making the cake batter.

"You like to bake?" Elijah appeared in the kitchen doorway a few minutes later.

"Yeah," she glanced over in his direction as she sifted flour into one of the bowls. "I do. It relaxes me. And I enjoy it. Plus, I thought it'd be fun to surprise my sister. She isn't expecting me to make her anything."

"Is there anything I can do to help?" He asked.

"Sure. I need four eggs added to the other bowl," she motioned at the carton resting on the counter. He nodded and took off his suit jacket, draping it over one of the kitchen chairs, rolled his sleeves up to his elbows, and went to work cracking eggs into the second bowl, one at a time, which already had butter and sugar creamed together. By the time he was done, she'd added baking powder and salt to the flour bowl and had a measuring cup filled with milk. She carried both over to where Elijah stood, and with his help, alternated between adding the milk and flour mixture to the second bowl.

"I'll never forget this one time I baked a cake. I was eight or nine, and it was the first time I'd attempted to bake without adult supervision. Everything had gone well until I went to add the flour to the wet mixture. See, I didn't know you were supposed to add only a little bit of flour at a time. When I turned the hand mixer on it made the flour erupt into a huge, white explosion. I looked like a ghost with all the flour I had on my face and hair," she chuckled at the memory as she continued mixing the batter. "I was so mad at my mom because she took pictures of me. I think they're in a box somewhere in the garage with all the other family photos."

"It's nice to see some things haven't changed much since then," he gazed back at her with a playful smile tugging at his lips.

"What do you mean?" She stared at him, confused.

"You have some flour on your face," he pointed at a spot on his left cheek so she could mirror him. "Right here."

"I do? Oh gosh," she turned off the electric mixer and tried to use the back of her hand to brush it off. "Did I get it?"

"Not all of it. Here, let me," he grabbed a kitchen towel from its hanging spot over the oven handle and used it to gently wipe away what she'd failed to get off of her face. She stood completely still, slightly taken aback by his gentleness. "There we go. Good as new."

"Thank you," she smiled as she felt heat rising in her cheeks. She resumed mixing the batter and filled the cake pans she selected before putting them in the oven to bake. She let out a huge sigh as she stared at the messy kitchen that needed to be cleaned up.

"Why don't you go relax in the living room? I'll take care of everything in here," Elijah offered after sensing her weariness.

"I appreciate the offer, but I could never do that. I'll gladly take the help though. I'll wash the dishes if you dry them."

"That sounds plausible to me."

They went to work and in no time at all had the dishes and utensils washed and put away. Cassandra wiped down the counter and tossed the rag into the sink before grabbing her phone from the table where she'd left it and curling up on one end of the couch. Elijah sat down on the other side where he'd left the book he'd been reading.

"Caroline's going to be at the Grill a while. Apparently Elena is hell bent on killing Katherine now that she has her humanity back," she told Elijah after reading the message Caroline had sent her.

"Oh, Katerina can handle herself just fine from Elena Gilbert," Elijah stifled a laugh.

"She's got five hundred and something years on Elena, right? Yeah, Elena is insane if she thinks she's strong enough to take her down." Cassandra shook her head as she placed her phone down on the small coffee table. She grabbed the remote to the TV and began channel surfing until she found an old movie to watch. As the delicious aroma from the cake baking in the oven began to fill the house, her body began to relax.

A little while later, Elijah momentarily looked up from his book and glanced over at her. His lips curled into a smile as he discovered she was fast asleep. He quietly closed his book and disappeared down the hall only to return in the blink of an eye with a blanket which he carefully draped over her. He checked his watch and retreated to the kitchen where the timer for the oven was seconds away from beeping. He silenced it and checked to see that the cakes were done before removing them to cool on the stove. When he returned to the couch, he gazed at Cassandra's sleeping form for another moment as he used his vampire hearing to listen to the steady heartbeat of the baby growing inside of her. With a smile on his face he resumed reading his book while the TV droned on softly in the background.

-o-

CRACK!

A loud noise coming from outside jolted Cassandra awake. Her heart thudded wildly inside her chest as she looked around. "What was that?" She yelped.

"It was just the wind," Elijah reassured her in a calm voice.

She turned her eyes to the living room window and stared out at the tree branches in the darkness thrashing around from the strong gusts of wind. She slowed her breathing when she realized the wind was the source of the noise and leaned back against the couch. "What the…it was not this windy earlier. And how long have I been asleep?"

"No, it wasn't. A couple of hours."

"Wow. Apparently I was tired. Oh my god…the cake!" She threw the blanket off of her, but before she could jump up to her feet Elijah held a hand up to stop her.

"I took care of it. It's been cooling on some wire cake racks for almost ninety minutes now," he told her.

She blinked in surprise and let out a huge breath of air. "Oh. Thank you. Ugh, I'm sorry for falling asleep on you like that. That is not what a hostess is supposed to do."

"It's quite alright, Cassandra. You are functioning for two now and need as much rest as you can get."

She nodded and calmly reached out for her phone. As she was tapping the screen to wake it, the lights in the house began to flicker before everything around them went dark. "And we just lost power. Awesome."

"It appears so. Stay here. I'll go check the breaker box outside," Elijah instructed as he rose to his feet, the light from her phone illuminating his looming figure. She nodded, watching as he headed out through the front door.

Deciding she wanted to make herself useful, she rose to her feet and went through the house making sure all of the windows were securely shut. As she walked from room to room she sent a text out to Caroline to find out if The Grill had lost power too. After she finished checking all of the windows she grabbed all of the candles she could find and began strategically setting them out as she lit them.

"Elijah, what's taking you so long?" she murmured to herself as she placed a few glowing candles on the dresser in her room. She could hear the wind howling outside, sending a shiver up her spine. She shuddered for a moment before turning around to leave her room and nearly dropped her phone as she came face to face with the last person she expected to see. "Ohmygod Kol! Gah, you scared me!"

"Hello, darling. Miss me?" The young Mikaelson grinned wildly at her.

"Wha…how are you...how is this possible?" Cassandra stammered.

"Well, it appears your friend Bonnie succeeded in dropping the veil to The Other Side," Kol told her.

"Oh..oh my god. She did it. Bonnie actually did it," Cassandra could hardly believe her ears. "But…that still doesn't explain how you're able to be inside the house. I never invited you in."

"One of the perks of being dead. No more pesky seals to keep me out," he mused cheerfully as he began to wander around her room, checking everything out. His eyes immediately landed on her suitcase. "Going on another trip, eh?"

"Not exactly. I'm moving," Cassandra sighed softly. "Not really by choice. It's…complicated."

He tilted his head slightly to the side, eyeing her curiously. "How so?"

"That is a rather long story."

"I see. Well, by all means," he walked over and sat down on her bed, patting the space beside him. "Tell me this rather long story."

She folded her arms, staring at him in disbelief. She did not like the fact that he had not only shown up at her house, but he was in her room sitting on her bed considering their brief history. She wouldn't put it past him to try something, but he did deserve to know what was going on. He was a Mikaelson after all.

"Okay, okay." She stared to walk over to join him, then stopped abruptly after a few short steps. "Hang on. Where's Elijah?"

"Oh, big brother's just taking a little nap outside. Don't worry, darling. He'll be fine."

"I bet you couldn't wait to get the jump on him," she rolled her eyes as she sat down next to him. She took a deep breath and slowly met his awaiting gaze. "I don't know where exactly to start, so I'll just go with the thing that is the root of everything that's happened. I'm pregnant. It's Klaus's.

"What?" Kol's eyes widened in surprise. "But that's…"

"Impossible? Clearly not as impossible as we've all been lead to believe." Cassandra sighed and launched into the details of what had transpired in New Orleans. She did not expect the look of contempt Kol had in his eyes after she told him the last words Klaus had said in front of her when she was in the cemetery. The phrase 'If looks could kill' came to mind.

"You know, I'm not all that surprised. The only person Nik truly cares about is Nik," Kol shook his head. He surprised Cassandra by reaching over and placing his hand on top of hers. "If it had been me, I _never_ would have abandoned you or our child."

She stared, taken aback by his sudden kind words. "Really?"

"You seem surprised. Is it really that hard to believe?"

"Well I…I mean..it's…I didn't expect it. Thank you for saying that."

"You're welcome."

A silence followed making her keenly aware of the warmth from his hand resting on top of hers. She hastily pulled her hand away from him and ran it through her hair as she cleared her throat lightly. "So, um…"

"Cassandra, am I making you nervous?" Kol asked with a soft chuckle. "Or is it that we're sitting together in your room on your quite comfortable bed that's got you all knotted up inside?"

"Wh..why would you think that?" She continued to stare straight ahead.

"Well, you won't look at me for one. And two, your heartbeat has risen significantly in the last five minutes," he happily pointed out.

To prove at least one of his points wrong, she slowly shifted her gaze back onto his face. "You sure you're not mistaking the baby's heartbeat for mine?"

"Positive."

"Well, I don't know what to tell you then because you are most definitely not making me nervous," she tried to sound as convincing as possible. While she spoke she began fiddling with her cell phone, and as she finished her phone slipped out of her hand and landed on the floor by her feet, disputing her statement. She hissed softly under her breath as she leaned over to pick it up.

"What was that you were just telling me?" Kol smirked as she sat up straight after retrieving her phone. Cassandra rolled her eyes as she placed it beside her on the bed. "You know, I saw you at the Gilbert house the day after I died."

"What?" Her head snapped towards him. "You were there?"

"I was. I saw the sadness in your eyes when you saw my burned remains for the first time. I heard what you said to me as you ran your fingertips across my face," He paused and reached out to gently glide his fingertips across her forehead down to her cheek. "Like this."

"Kol, I…" her words were cut off as he leaned in and pressed his lips gently against hers. She blinked in surprise and pulled away from him. She scrambled to her feet before he could try anything else and glared at him. "Ugh! Why do you keep doing that? Wait, don't answer that. I already know why. And as I told you before, it's not happening."

He gazed back at her with an amused smile tugging at his lips. "Yes, you keep saying that. You know what I think?"

"No, but I have a feeling you're about to tell me," she scoffed, folding her arms across her chest.

"I think you're trying to convince yourself that our time in that quaint little town and the incredible night of passion we shared wasn't more than a mere one night stand."

"That's absurd."

"Is it?" He slowly stood up. "Maybe I should compel you to be honest with yourself about how you really feel."

Cassandra's hand instinctively flew to her chest where her vervain necklace normally was. Her eyes widened in horror and her heart began to pound inside her chest when she discovered it was no longer there. With the town water being once again clean of vervain, she was absolutely vulnerable without that necklace.

"Looking for this?" Kol held the dangling heart necklace between his thumb and index finger.

"Give it back," she tried to grab it out of his hand, but naturally he was much faster at reacting and held it out of her reach.

"Don't worry, darling. You'll get it back. But first," he paused and slipped the necklace into his jacket pocket. "I just want to ask you a couple of questions."

"Kol, please…" she pleaded as he began to walk towards her. Even though she knew it was a fool's errand, she spun around and tried to run, but he whooshed in front of her before she took more than a step, blocking her path. He grabbed her forearms firmly so she couldn't try to run again. "Don't do this. Please."

"You will answer me truthfully," He looked her in the eyes, compelling her. "Do you feel the connection between us as I do?"

"Yes," the word rolled off of her tongue against her will.

"Then why do you continue to deny it, not only to me, but to yourself?"

"Because it doesn't matter. Whatever I feel for you doesn't matter because I'm in love with your brother. I'm in love with Klaus, and he broke my heart when he walked away from me and the baby."

"Nik doesn't deserve you," Kol sighed as he let go of Cassandra's arms. "And once I get that witch Bonnie to drop the veil completely I will hunt him down in New Orleans and make him pay. Then I intend to do whatever it takes for however long it takes to convince you that we are better suited for each other."

Cassandra stumbled backwards a couple of steps, blinking as Kol's compulsion ended. He reached into his pocket and pulled out her necklace, placing it back in her hand before disappearing from her sight. Clutching the piece of jewelry in her fist, she raced out of her room to the front door and ripped it open. Grateful that the insane wind had stopped, she stood in the doorway peering out into the darkened yard, but saw no sign of Kol anywhere. Figuring he fled to hunt down Bonnie, she raced back to her room and grabbed her phone to call Caroline. She left a brief message when Caroline's voicemail came on, letting her know what was going on so she could send out an SOS to the rest of the gang for Bonnie's safety.

When she was done she put the necklace back on and grabbed a flashlight from a drawer in the kitchen before heading outside to look for Elijah. She aimed the beam of light around the yard as she made her away down the steps and around the garage to the side of the house. Her breath caught in her throat when she spotted the outline of a shadowy figure lying sprawled out in a heap below the breaker box.

"Elijah!" She gasped and broke out into a run. When she reached him she dropped to her knees and carefully rolled him onto his back. Using the flashlight she gave him a quick once over to make sure Kol hadn't done more than snap his neck, and sighed in relief at seeing he was otherwise unscathed. She gently pressed two of her fingers against the exposed part of his neck, checking to see if his pulse had returned, but she was unable to find one. With no idea of how long it would take him to wake up, she decided to see if she could move his body inside the house. She stood up and repositioned herself so that she was standing by his head and used as much strength as she could to push him up into a sitting position. While she knew she'd never be able to outright carry him, she thought if she could get him upright she might be able to drag him by sliding her arms under his armpits and holding onto him. She took a deep breath and pulled as hard as she could while she took a step backwards.

"Oh god," she groaned as she took another step. "I must be crazy. Ugh, okay. You can do this Cass. The front door is like..twelve yards away. Breathe. Step. Breathe. Step."

She continued the pattern and slowly made her way across the lawn. When she reached the halfway point she used her legs to keep Elijah propped up while she took a minute to give her muscles a breather. After a couple of minutes had passed she wrapped her arms around his upper body again and continued her movements. She hadn't moved more than a foot when Elijah woke up with a loud gasp.

"What happened?" He groaned in a low voice. Cassandra immediately let go of him and dropped to her knees in front of him as he sat up on his own.

"Kol happened," she sighed.

"What?" He frowned as he looked at her confused.

"Bonnie lowered the veil…not all the way, just inside the expression triangle, which basically includes all of Mystic Falls. Your brother decided to pay us a visit…pay me a visit. He apparently didn't want your interference."

"Of course he didn't," Elijah scoffed with a shake of his head. "Where is he now?"

"Probably to find Bonnie to get her to lower the veil completely. He wants to make Klaus pay for walking away from me and the baby. Oh, I..uh…I told him about that, by the way. Figured he should know because he's a Mikaelson."

"I see."

Cassandra nodded her head slowly. She started to offer her him her hand to help him up, but he quickly rose to his feet unassisted and brushed himself off. She wasn't sure if he was upset or merely being reserved, so she remained silent. She didn't think he needed to know all of the particulars of what had taken place during Kol's little visit.

"We should get back inside. The power will not return until the spell that lowered the veil has been reversed. Until that happens," his eyes were completely serious. "It's not safe for you out here."

"Okay," she nodded once and began to walk the rest of the way to the house with him.

"You were dragging me back to the house when I came to, weren't you?" He mused as he held the front door open for her.

"Oh. Yeah. I didn't know how long it would be before you were back and I didn't really feel like waiting outside."

"You didn't have to do that."

"Yeah, well, I wasn't going to just leave you out there," she flashed him a small smile.

He closed and locked the front door before turning to face her. "I appreciate the gesture."

"You're welcome," she grinned as they made their way inside the house. Cassandra retrieved the lighter she'd left in her room and lit some candles in the living room so they wouldn't have to remain in the dark. After putting the lighter away she made herself comfortable on the couch, tucking her legs under her as she dialed Caroline's number on her phone.

"Cass!" Caroline chirped after two rings. "I was just about to call you. Bonnie turned Silas into stone. He's finally gone for good!"

"Wait…what?" Cassandra shared a surprised glance with Elijah and leaned forward. "Oh wow."

"Mmhmm. I'd ask you to come to the grill and celebrate with me, but…"

"Heh, wouldn't be much of a celebration for someone who can't do any celebratory drinking. It's okay. Have a shot or two for me."

"You got it!" Caroline giggled. "Oh! Stefan just walked in. Goodie. He can do a shot with me. I'll see you in a little while."

"Have fun," Cassandra chuckled before ending the call. She placed her phone on the coffee table and leaned back against the couch. "Wow. I can't believe Bonnie actually did it. She took down Silas a two thousand year old immortal being."

"It's definitely impressive," Elijah agreed. "You know, if you want to go see your sister, I'd be more than happy to accompany you."

"Ah, thanks, but that's okay. I'm not really in the mood to go out. Not with the veil still down. I don't want to run into Kol again after….seeing him here and after the stunt he pulled."

Elijah's face grew stiff. "What did he do? Did he harm you?"

"No. I'm fine. I promise. He just wanted to talk." She cautiously met the Original's eyes and found him studying her.

"There's more, though. What else did he do?" He asked.

"He kissed me and he…"she paused as she searched for words she could say to hint at the fact that Kol had compelled her. "He took my necklace and he…forced me to admit..confess…you get where I'm going with this?"

"He compelled you."

She couldn't say yes, but she did nod her head. "He couldn't very well get close to me like that with you around as my bodyguard could he?"

"No," Elijah's jaw tightened. "He certainly would not have had that chance. You are otherwise alright?"

"Yeah. He gave me back my necklace after getting what he wanted out of me. Other than being mad at him for what he did, I'm fine," she did her best to reassure him. He nodded, satisfied with her answer.

With nothing else to say, they fell into an awkward silence. To busy herself with something, Cassandra reached out and grabbed her phone. She sent a text message to her mom to find out how things were going in town and if she knew how late she'd be out working that night. When she was done she replaced her phone back on the coffee table and rose to her feet. She wandered into the kitchen to look for something to eat. Using the flashlight she'd left on the counter she looked through the cupboards, but nothing sounded good. She looked in the freezer next and grinned when her eyes landed on a half-gallon tub of rocky road ice cream. She pulled it out and grabbed a couple of spoons before heading back into the living room where Elijah was.

"Want some?" She waved the ice cream in the air. "I mean, I'm sure I could eat it all myself since I'm eating for two now, but…"

Elijah kept a straight face as he held out a hand. She smiled and handed him a spoon as she sat down beside him. The conversation was light while they ate spoonfuls of ice cream. A little while later when they had finished the entire tub, the lights flickered back on, signaling that the power had returned.

"Well that figures," Cassandra laughed. "The power comes back on just as we finish eating all of the ice cream."

After discarding the empty ice cream carton into the trash bin, she put the spoons in the sink and went around the house to blow out all of the candles she'd previously lit. When she was done she went to work on frosting and decorating the cake she'd baked for Caroline's graduation the following day, grateful to have had enough forethought to make it when she did, long before the power had gone out.


	36. Graduation Day

**Wow! I can't believe this is the final chapter of Crazy Stupid Love. It has been an incredible ride taking you on the first part of Cassandra's story. Thank you guys so much for sticking with me this entire time. Every review, every favorite, every follower, has meant the world to me! It's bitter sweet knowing I'll be flipping the status of this story to completed, because I've loved working on it, but at the same time I am so excited to start sharing the sequel with you guys. Ak, it's going to be epic! (More about at the end of the chapter.) With that said, enjoy this last chapter! I've got tissues handy if anyone needs them (for happy or sad tears).**

* * *

 **Chapter 36 - Graduation Day**

The Mystic Grill hummed with the soft voices of the many patrons enjoying the restaurant's Graduation Brunch the following morning. Amongst those in attendance were Cassandra and Elijah. It hadn't been hard persuading him to go with her. Even her mom had found a few minutes to swing by and eat a couple of pieces of crispy bacon before being summoned by one of her deputies to handle some undisclosed issue.

As she swallowed the last bite of her pancakes, Cassandra casually glanced around the restaurant. "I'm gonna miss this place. Just like I did when I went off to college."

"You'll be back one day," Elijah tried to give her something positive to focus on.

"Yeah, with a kid on my hip. I know, I know, it's not a bad thing. It's just...this is a small town. People will talk once they learn the Sheriff's oldest daughter became an unwed mother. It's..." She trailed off when her eyes landed on a dark-skinned man sitting at the bar, a man she knew to be dead. Her eyes widened and her heart began to race. "Oh my god!"

"What is it?" Elijah spoke calmly, though his eyes were full of concern.

Cassandra lowered her voice to a whisper. "Over by the bar. The black man facing us. He's a hunter. One of the five. Elena killed him a while ago, which means the veil is still down. What's he doing here?"

Elijah kept his eyes on her as he used his vampire hearing to listen in on Conner's phone conversation. "He's after Silas and the cure."

"Of course he is. It's what he was programmed to do by that witch Ketsy-something," she sighed.

"Qetsiyah. Come," he pulled a wad of bills out of his jacket pocket and left a couple on the table. "We need to leave. Now."

Nodding, Cassandra grabbed her purse and slid out of the booth they'd been seated at. As she was sliding her purse straps onto her shoulder, she froze when her eyes landed on Alaric who had suddenly appeared beside Connor.

"Alaric," she uttered in a soft voice.

She watched as he spoke to Connor in a hushed voice she was unable to hear. When Connor opened his jacket, she caught a glimpse of the colored wires inside. Before she could say anything to Elijah a click sounded, followed by the explosive sound of splintering wood and breaking glass as he set off whatever he'd strapped to himself. She blinked and stared at the spot where the two hunters had been as people around her shrieked, realizing from the lack of damage outside the bar area that Alaric must have grabbed Connor and whooshed into the open storage closet before the explosion could do any serious damage. She threw caution to the wind and ran straight to the doorway at the end of the bar with Elijah hot on her heels.

"Ric?" She called out as she batted away the dust from the fallen debris.

"Ugh," he coughed as he pushed himself from the floor. "Hey, Cass."

"Hey yourself," she held out a hand to help him up. He took it and brushed himself off once he was standing upright. "It's good to see you. The real you."

"It's good to see you to," he smiled at her. It took less than a second for him to notice the presence behind her. "Elijah? What are you doing in Mystic Falls?"

"I'm here to ensure Cassandra's safety," Elijah replied in a light tone.

"He's my bodyguard. It's a long story," Cassandra sighed.

"What's the short version?" Alaric wanted to know.

"I'm pregnant with Klaus's child and my life has been magically linked to a witch down in New Orleans as a means to get Klaus to take down this vampire in power there. Even longer story," Cassandra gave him the briefest explanation as they made their way outside. "Hang on a second. If you're here, does that mean Jeremy…"

"He's with Elena," Alaric grinned.

"Oh wow! That's great!" Cassandra grinned back. She was about to say something else when Alaric's phone rang from inside his pocket. He gave her an apologetic look as he pulled it out and glanced at the caller before answering.

"Hey. Don't worry about Connor. I took care of him," Alaric spoke into the phone. Cassandra watched as worry flashed in his eyes from whatever he was being told next. "What? You're kidding? Well, your timing is impeccable. I'm actually standing with Cassandra right now. I'll talk to her."

Cassandra eyed him curiously, waiting for him to end his call. She cast a glance back at Elijah and could tell from the look on his face that he'd been listening and knew exactly what Alaric was going to talk to her about. She was about to ask him she was stopped by the sound of Alaric's voice.

"So here's the situation," he slipped his phone back into his pocket and faced her. "Damon was shot with a werewolf venom laced wooden bullet. Apparently there's more than one hunter around looking for the cure and Silas."

"Oh I see where this is going," Cassandra folded her arms across her chest. "Damon needs Klaus's blood to heal him, and you need me to ask Klaus for it."

"Pretty much, yeah.

"There's a small problem with that, though, Ric. I'm not speaking to Klaus right now. I haven't in weeks."

"Please, Cass. You're the only one that can do this. Damon's life depends on it. I know he's not your favorite person, but he has a good side to him. Granted he doesn't let many people see it, but it is there. And he did save your life last fall."

"Fine. I'll call Klaus and ask him to come and heal Damon. But only because it's the right thing to do, and because, like you said, he did save my life," Cassandra agreed to do what she could.

"Thank you, Cass. Text Elena and Stefan once you know something. I gotta run," he gave her a quick one armed hug and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Cassandra headed home with Elijah and closed herself off in her room to make the phone call. Sitting on her bed, she stared at the screen on her phone for a long minute before dialing Klaus's number. When he didn't answer, she couldn't deny she was relieved to not have to speak to him directly.

"Hey, Klaus. It's Cassandra. I'm calling as a favor to my friends. Damon needs your blood. He was shot with a werewolf venom laced bullet. Bonnie lowered the veil inside the expression triangle, and now there are undead vampire hunters roaming around with a vendetta against the vampires that killed them. Please come to Mystic Falls and heal Damon. I know he's not your favorite person, but for once he didn't do anything to deserve this. So please come and heal him. Uh, yeah, I guess that's it. Bye." She quickly ended the phone call and let out a slow breath. She sent a quick message to Stefan and Elena to let them know she called Klaus. With a few hours to go until the Graduation Ceremony, she decided to take a long, hot shower. She grabbed a towel and her robe before disappearing into the bathroom.

-o-

"Welcome parents, family, and friends. What a beautiful day for Graduation," Mayor Rudy Hopkins, also Bonnie's father, stood in front of the podium on the stage that had been set up at the high school stadium for the ceremony. "Thank you for joining us today on this special day as we celebrate our graduates, so let's get started."

As he began calling out names of the graduates, Cassandra made sure her phone's camera was on and sat on the edge of her seat in the bleachers, waiting to scream for her little sister. She cheered for Bonnie and Matt when their turns came. When the Mayor said Caroline's name, she jumped to her feet, screaming at the top of her lungs as she snapped picture after picture. Caroline turned and grinned at her before making her way to her seat.

"I'm so proud of you little sis," Cassandra spoke in a normal voice knowing Caroline would be able to use her vampire hearing to get the message. As she sat back down she felt tears stinging her eyes and quickly wiped them away. She found Elijah, who was seated beside her, holding his handkerchief out to her. She put a hand up and shook her head rapidly. "Thanks, but that's okay. I am determined to get through this without becoming a blubbering mess. There will be plenty of that later when it's time for us to leave."

"If you're sure," Elijah paused, and after she nodded again he slipped the handkerchief back into his pocket. His phone began to ring, prompting him to pull it out. "I'll be right back."

"Okay," she nodded, watching as he slipped away to take the phone call. She turned her gaze back to the stadium and watched as the remaining students went on stage and shook the mayor's hand. As he neared the end of the list, she noticed her sister, Elena, and Stefan cautiously making their way towards the back of the bleachers. Curious, Cassandra stood and carefully side stepped past the people around her until she reached the isle steps and met up with them.

"What's going on?" She asked as she hugged Caroline.

"It's Damon," Elena's voice trembled. "He's getting worse."

"Ugh," Cassandra groaned. She pulled her phone out of her purse and dialed Klaus's number again. When his voicemail came on, she sighed and hung up before turning around to face Stefan who was also on the phone. She shook her head to let him know Klaus hadn't answered. As she was stuffing her phone back into her purse, Elena, Stefan, and Caroline began to clutch their heads and wince in pain. Cassandra spun around and found a group of twelve people walking towards them. The woman in the front had her hand out as they walked. Cassandra quickly realized she was a witch, that they were all witches.

"Remember us, Caroline?" the front witch sneered as she put more power behind her spell.

"Oh my god," Cassandra gasped as her friends began to fall to their knees in pain from the spell. She wrapped her arms around Caroline to keep her from falling. "You're the twelve witches from the woods…the sacrifice…."

Before the witch could say anything more, Klaus, wearing a crisp black suit and tie, appeared out of nowhere and threw a graduation cap at her like it were a Frisbee, taking her head off with one fierce movement.

"There are plenty more of these to go around," Klaus held another tasseled cap in his hands. "Who's next? I can do this all day."

Cassandra let go of her sister now that the witch casting the spell was dead and stared at Klaus in surprise. The remaining witches quickly scattered, valuing their temporary lives more than the desire for revenge. Klaus walked past her and over to Stefan, sharing a few quick words, then disappeared from their sight in the blink of an eye. A moment later, Cassandra felt her phone buzz inside her purse and pulled it out to find a new text waiting for her from Klaus. _Wait for me to return to the school. I'd like to talk to you._ She sent a simple 'okay' reply and put her phone away.

A little while later, after the Graduation Ceremony had concluded, she urged Caroline to head over to The Grill and start celebrating without her. Reluctantly, Caroline agreed and left. Cassandra hung around the bleachers until everyone had cleared out. As she mulled over whatever it could be that Klaus wanted to talk to her about she wandered over to the stage that had been set up for the ceremony. She was admiring the decorations when she heard the sound of approaching footsteps and spun around to find Klaus walking towards her.

"How'd you get here so fast?" She asked in a soft voice.

"I was already on my way," he gave her a small smile as he came to a stop in front of her. He pulled an envelope out of his inside jacket pocket. "I received your sister's graduation announcement. It's very subtle."

"Caroline actually sent you one?" Cassandra raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Wow."

"I assume she's expecting cash."

"That or a mini fridge."

"Well, I had considered giving her money, but then I opted for something even better, something no amount of money could buy," he paused, and then spoke in a softer voice. "Tyler is now free to return to Mystic Falls."

Cassandra couldn't believe her ears. "What?" She whispered, staring at him wide eyed.

"I thought you might like to be the one to tell her."

"Yes, of course," she nodded her head. "She'll be absolutely elated. Thank you, Klaus."

"You're welcome," he flashed her a tiny smile. "Now then, I believe I owe you a rather large apology."

She folded her arms across her chest. "Yeah, I'd say that's the understatement of the century."

Taking a deep breath, Klaus put the envelope back into his pocket as he stepped closer to her and reached for both of her hands, clasping them in his own. "I know I overreacted in the cemetery. I was wrong to accuse you of being with someone else. I reacted without thinking, and in doing so said things I did not mean. I am truly, truly sorry for the way I hurt you, Cassandra. I want you to know that I am overjoyed that we are having a child together. There is nothing on this earth that I want more than for us to be a family."

"Wow," Cassandra blinked once her ability to form coherent thoughts and speak actual words returned. "As far as apologies go, that was actually really, really good."

"So you forgive me?" Klaus eyed her hopefully.

"Klaus, I…" she sighed and looked down, collecting her bearings before meeting his eyes again. "It's not that simple. You really hurt me when you accused me of betraying you and said you didn't care about what happens to me or the baby. I can accept your heartfelt apology, and I do, but it's going to take time before I'm ready to forgive you."

"I understand," he nodded slowly, making no attempt to mask the disappointment in his eyes. "Take all the time you need."

"Thank you," she murmured.

He released her hands and motioned for her to walk with him. "Let's get out of here before twelve angry hybrids decide to pick a fight."

She nodded and followed him off the stage and down the aisle between the seats set up for the students. "Hey…where's Elijah?" She'd just now realized he never reappeared after leaving to answer his phone.

"He's already on his way back to New Orleans. I thought it best not to leave the city and its supernatural inhabitants without the presence of a Mikaelson for longer than necessary. He knows I'm here." A mischievous smile tugged at his lips as they walked towards the parking lot.

"His phone call…that was you!" Cassandra stared at him. "I should have known. I wonder why he didn't tell me."

"I don't know, love. You'll have to ask him once we're back in the city."

"I will."

She flashed him a smile as they climbed into his black SUV and headed over to the Mystic Grill to celebrate with Caroline.

-o-

"Oh, I wish you didn't have to leave," Caroline grumbled as she hugged Cassandra tightly. They were standing in the driveway early the next morning in front of Klaus's SUV saying their goodbyes. "You stay safe, you hear me? And I want lots of photos updates of your growing tummy."

"You got it, sis," Cassandra gave a weak laugh as her eyes became glossy with tears. "I want _you_ to have as much fun as possible this summer with your friends. Celebrate the ending of one chapter and the beginning of a new one. And have an incredible time at college."

"I will," Caroline sniffled. They both stretched out their arms towards their mother who quickly joined them for a big group hug.

"My sweet girl," Elizabeth ran her fingers through a strand of Cassandra's blonde hair.

"I'm really going to miss you, mom," Cassandra threw her arms around her mother and buried her face against her shoulder. "I don't know how I'm going to get through this pregnancy without you."

"I''m only a phone call away. Day or night, it doesn't matter. I will _always_ answer when you call. Okay?" Elizabeth gently rubbed her back.

Cassandra sniffed as she raised her head and nodded slowly. "Okay."

"Same goes for me," Caroline reached for Cassandra's hand and gave it a squeeze. Cassandra squeezed back.

"You'll keep me in the loop on the goings on?" Cassandra eyed her sister.

"Duh," Caroline laughed as she wiped her eyes. "You will too. Especially on the witch front. If there's something Bonnie can do to help now that that everything's back to normal and good again…"

"You'll be the first to know."

"Good."

"Alright, Caroline. We need to let them get on the road so they can beat the morning rush out of town," Elizabeth spoke softly. Cassandra gave her and Caroline one last long hug before finally heading over to the open passenger door of the SUV.

"I love you guys!" She called out to them one last time, waiting just long enough for them to say they loved her too, then climbed into the car. She silently buckled her seat belt and gazed at her family through the window as Klaus pulled out of the driveway. She continued to watch them through the side mirror until they were out of sight. Focusing on the road now in front of them, Cassandra blinked and ran her index finger gently under eyes to wipe away stray tears.

Klaus silently reached over and took her left hand into his, lacing their fingers together. "You'll see them again, sweetheart. I promise. As soon as we deal with the witches and break the link binding you to them, we'll come back to Mystic Falls for a visit."

"I'm going to hold you to that," Cassandra laughed softly as she gave his hand gentle squeeze. He brought her hand up to his lips and softly kissed the back of it as he drove down the road leading to the main highway that would take them south all the way to New Orleans.

* * *

 **Well, there you have it. Crazy Stupid Love is finished. But never fear, Cassandra's story is far from over. The first chapter of the sequel, _Crazy Wild Life_ has now been posted for your viewing pleasure. You guy are the best! I love you all!**


End file.
